The recent death of a hiker from hypothermia has prompted VT to come up with a better way of coordinating rescues. Unlike NH, VT state police were in charge of S&R and the system had its flaws.
http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/...er-s-death?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE
As an aside, several years ago while hiking on the LT we ran into At thru hiker at Pico Shelter. After cooking supper we were shooting the breeze and he mentioned "I found a dead guy yesterday" He was very matter of fact about this. While camping the previous night at a shelter, he had noticed a tent off to the side when he had arrived the day before and he never saw any movement. Before heading out for the next days hiking, he checked the tent and determined that it was an older hiker that had passed away in his sleeping bag. He saw a cellphone in the tent so he used it to call 911. Eventually he was forwarded to the state police and they just couldnt understand that the departed was in the woods away from a road and that the thru hiker had no idea what the address was. After the police threatened him with arrest if he left the location, the thru hiker got out his map and directed the state police on how to reach the shelter. After a couple of hours a couple of troopers showed up in full uniform and took the thru hikers statement and checked his ID and let him go. After he was done with the story (that I later confirmed somewhat), he mentioned that he had a short day that day so he had to make it up the next day.
http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/...er-s-death?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE
As an aside, several years ago while hiking on the LT we ran into At thru hiker at Pico Shelter. After cooking supper we were shooting the breeze and he mentioned "I found a dead guy yesterday" He was very matter of fact about this. While camping the previous night at a shelter, he had noticed a tent off to the side when he had arrived the day before and he never saw any movement. Before heading out for the next days hiking, he checked the tent and determined that it was an older hiker that had passed away in his sleeping bag. He saw a cellphone in the tent so he used it to call 911. Eventually he was forwarded to the state police and they just couldnt understand that the departed was in the woods away from a road and that the thru hiker had no idea what the address was. After the police threatened him with arrest if he left the location, the thru hiker got out his map and directed the state police on how to reach the shelter. After a couple of hours a couple of troopers showed up in full uniform and took the thru hikers statement and checked his ID and let him go. After he was done with the story (that I later confirmed somewhat), he mentioned that he had a short day that day so he had to make it up the next day.