Friday, February 03, 2012

Former AT Hiker Missing in Arizona

The AZDailySun.com web site out of Flagstaff, Arizona published a story by Eric Betz on 2 February 2012 titled "Hiker, climber Hall left no clues when he went missing in September".

The gist of the story is that Justin Hall basically disappeared while house sitting for a friend in Flagstaff back in September. Police found no evidence of foul play and are note actively searching for him. His distraught family, naturally enough, thinks more could be done.

Anyway,
The 40-year-old studied aeronautical engineering at Embry Riddle University in Daytona Beach, Fla., and afterward worked as a professional in the northeastern United States. But after a few years, he decided he needed a change and took off to hike the more than 2,000-mile Appalachian Trail.

"I think that the Appalachian Trail changed him -- being in that solitude for all those months," said his mother, Lynda Hall.
It sounds like Hall had trouble adjusting to "normal" life off the Trail, at least the kind involving a desk job.
Search and Rescue combed a small area around the property on the belief that when someone is depressed, they usually don't walk far, Hall said.

"He walked 33 miles of the Appalachian Trail in one day, why would you find him within one and a half miles?" his mother said.

Brian Hall says there are three possibilities of what happened to his son: he walked off on a hike, he committed suicide or there was some kind of foul play.

"We're hoping he went off on a hike somewhere," he said.

Added Lynda: "I don't think he would have ever committed suicide, he loved life too much."

The family is asking any hikers and climbers to keep an eye out for him. He is described as being 5 feet 7 inches tall and around 175 pounds, with hazel eyes and a shaved head. He usually wears shorts or jeans and hiking boots.
Anybody out there seen him or heard from him?

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