Boy returns to camp after being separated from group overnight [07/16/2005]

A teenage conservation worker separated overnight from his group while hiking in the Dry River Wilderness Area in the White Mountains made his way back to camp Friday morning. The boy, Michael Levy of Long Island, N.Y., is fine. Search and rescue teams from the U.S. Forest Service and N.H. Fish and Game Department had been mobilized, but the search was called off after Levysucceeded in finding his way back to the campsite at 9:30 a.m.Levy is one week into a month-long work session with the Student Conservation Association of Charlestown, working on clearing back-country trails in the White Mountain National Forest. The students are stationed at a camp about 10 miles from Route 302 in Bartlett.The day of Levy's disappearance was the group's day off, and six teens and two group leaders had hiked toTuckerman Ravine near Mount Washington. On the way back, Levy became separated from the group and took a wrong turn in the area of the Davis Path and Isolation Trail. He had last been seen around 5:30 p.m. on Thursday.When he was discovered missing, group counselors returned along the trail, but they were unable to find him Thursday night. Thunderstorms rolled through the area during the evening. A camp counselor hiked out to report the missing boy at about 2:30 a.m., as radio communication was not working.