You're right this should have been the pre release she dave. "Hey Folks my husband is out of town back up in the boonies for a few days. So ifin anybody wants to plan anything like a burglary or such he's not home now.." Sheesh!!!!! If he's hiking the AT then she doesn't know where he is unless she has a GPS chip attached to him.
I'll bet you some persons knew about where he was. Like the Forest Rangers had a trip map and likely his C.O.S. knew he general area and they may have also had a preset daily call in time it sounds like. The only major and realistic concern might possibly be over some rather intense storms that crossed through Tennessee into the Carolina's over the past 4 days. One reason a satellite phone would not have been near as reliable as other simpler and more realistic as well as cheaper means.
Kinda reminds me of when I was a kid & dad would come home from a hunting trip. The car would be tore up, the hot water heater messed up, and a few other things. He knew to expect it every time LOL.
It is annoying and troubling that we have to go to bed with still no answer to that from the Governor or his office or anyone else, it makes it seem as though he really is out of contact.
And if he traveled to DC would that be kept a hush-hush secret so that no one breaks into their house? Give me a break.
I'd bet they've got better security than most of us.