NEWRY — A Massachusetts man was found safe late Wednesday night, eight hours after being lost while hiking the Grafton Loop Trail, according to the Maine Warden Service.

Thomas Dilger, 29, of Worcester, Massachusetts, was hiking alone on the eastern section of the trail that goes from Route 26 to the summit of Puzzle Mountain. He called for help around 3 p.m., according to a news release from the Warden Service. 

Searchers used Dilger’s cellphone coordinates to locate him.

The Warden Service, Newry Fire and Rescue and Mahoosuc Mountain Rescue used snowmobiles for about 1.5 miles to break trail in 3 feet of snow. When they could advance no farther, they trekked on snowshoes for several hours before finding Dilger around 11 p.m. on the western side of the mountain.

Dilger was slightly hypothermic, and did not receive medical attention, the news release said.

emarquis@sunmediagroup.net

Thomas Dilger, 29, of Massachusetts, was lost on the Grafton Loop Trail in Newry for eight hours yesterday before being rescued by the Maine Warden Service, Newry Fire and Rescue, and Mahoosuc Mountain Rescue. The red dot on the map indicates where Dilger was found. (Maine Warden Service)


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