Robert Sumrall

Robert Sumrall survived being lost in the Gila National Forest in southwestern New Mexico for seven days in 2009, enduring sub-freezing weather conditions without food, water, or camping gear. finding the vehicle at a trailhead triggered activation of volunteer search and rescue (SAR) resources affiliated with New Mexico State Police. SAR field teams began searching late Sunday afternoon. Grant County Search and Rescue (based in Silver City) was soon joined by Organ Mountain Technical Rescue and Mesilla Valley Search and Rescue (Las Cruces) Additional SAR resources were called from Alamogordo and Ruidoso as well as the United States National Guard, United States Border Patrol, United States Forest Service officers, and others.
On Wednesday Gonzales interviewed someone who had talked to Sumrall on Saturday morning. Based on information obtained from the interviewee, search efforts on Thursday and Friday were concentrated on an area west of the crest trail, south of Iron Creek Campground, south of Emory Pass, and would include Sawyer's Peak and a trail that goes to Tierra Blanca Canyon, on the east side of the crest. and put into intensive care.
It appears that Sumrall broke into the nearby cabin where he ate some food and prepared to light a fire in a wood-burning stove. He was unable to find matches; these were in a can near the stove. He also was unable to find water. He then left the cabin, leaving his wallet and a small backpack inside. Leaving the shelter of the cabin is thought to have been fortunate because if he had remained in the cabin he might not have been found in time.
Career and personal life
Sumrall is director of business development for Glacier Technologies LLC, a 4-year-old company headquartered in El Paso that performs technology, engineering and call center services mostly for federal government agencies. In the 1960s, Sumrall was a captain in the United States Air Force.
Sumrall is married with a stepson and stepdaughter, and has two daughters and a son from a previous marriage.<ref nameLCSN03/><ref nameEPT03/> He moved to El Paso from Baton Rouge, Louisiana in 1991. His wife of 20 years, Jan Sumrall, was the El Paso West Side city representative from 1995 to 2003.<ref name=EPT03/>
He is a graduate of Louisiana State University. As well as hiking, his outdoor activities include hunting and wildlife conservation. He is a member of Ducks Unlimited.<ref name=LCSN03/>

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