By Mitchell Willetts
Merced Sun-Star
WELD, Maine — A 75-year-old man who vanished on the way to a meeting was found stuck in a bog, nearly a mile away from his car, Maine rescuers say.
Michael Altmaier left his home in New Sharon on Monday, July 8, and was driving to the town of Weld, a roughly 30-mile drive northwest from New Sharon, the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife said in a July 13 Facebook post. But he never showed up to the meeting.
Officials later learned Altmaier had stopped at a scenic overlook at Mount Blue State Park but fell off a ledge and tumbled down an embankment.
Altmaier had almost made it to his destination, as Mount Blue State Park is in Weld — but it would be another four days before rescuers would find him, according to officials.
On the afternoon of Friday, July 12, a state game warden and K9 named Ash stumbled upon Altmaier trapped in a bog, roughly three-fourths of a mile from his vehicle, officials said.
“It is believed Altmaier had fallen down over a ledged embankment Monday and likely became disoriented and ended up in the area of the bog that evening where he eventually had fallen and was unable to get up,” according to wildlife officials.
More rescuers arrived to help and rendered aid until a helicopter landed in the bog at around 6 p.m., picked up Altmaier and delivered him to an ambulance bound for an area hospital, according to the department.
“Emergency Rescue Personnel said Altmaier was in surprisingly good condition despite spending the last 4 days laying in the area of the bog,” officials said.
Mount Blue State Park is about 90 miles, a driving distance, north from Portland.
Maine’s largest state park, Mount Blue features 8,000 acres of forest and lake, with plenty of hiking and biking trails, camping areas, plus opportunities for kayaking and canoeing, according to the website.
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