Body recovered from Mt. Washington may be Ontario man

By John R. Ellement, Globe Staff

The body of a man has been recovered from the slopes of Mt. Washington, and New Hampshire authorities said today there is the possibility the remains may be that of a Canadian hiker who disappeared June 9.

Hikers on Monday discovered the body lying underneath a rock overhang on the Lion's Head trail, about 3/4 of a mile from the summit of Mt. Washington and about 6 miles from the base of the mountain, said Sergeant Wayne Saunders of the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department.

Authorities recovered the body Monday night and an autopsy was underway today at the state medical examiner’s office in Concord, N.H. Saunders said identification is also being made, which may be released later today.

Saunders said the remains may be that of 70-year-old Peter Shintani, a veteran outdoorsman who went hiking during foggy conditions on June 9 and has not been seen since. On June 10, heavy rains blanketed the area. Shintani was hiking by himself. He did not notify authorities what his hiking plan was, and he wasn’t reported missing by his family until June 16.

Authorities searched for the Ontario man on foot and from the air. Saunders said, however, that the body found on Monday was hidden from aerial views by the rock overhang. He said New Hampshire State Police also viewed the scene on Monday.

“There is no evidence that foul play was involved,’’ Saunders said.