Local News

Officials: Hiker rescued from Mt. Washington in 90 mph winds, sub-zero temperatures made ‘poor choices’

“Even though the rescuers complete these heroic tasks with humility and passion there is still never ending concern as to why inexperienced solo hikers continue to push on.”

February 19, 2024

2 minutes to read

A 22-year-old New Hampshire hiker, who officials said made ‘poor choices,’ was rescued on Saturday from Mount Washington amid dangerous winter weather conditions, including high winds and temperatures as low as -52 degrees.

The New Hampshire Fish and Game Law Enforcement Division said the call from the hiker came in around 11:50 a.m., reporting that he fell, had an injury, and needed help. Poor reception limited the information that the 911 call could obtain, but GPS coordinates showed the man was off the trail in a drainage ravine west of the Westside Trail and north of the Crawford Path, officials said.

Officials said “with little information to go on,” a rescue response was put together, with a plan to use the mountain’s Cog Railway to get rescuers up the mountain, using a special train with a snow blower mounted on the front to get up to the Westside Trail.

As crews were responding, a second call came in from the hiker, but he again could not be heard, according to the department. On a third call, emergency responders were able to determine he was no longer at the original location, but had made his way to the Lakes in the Clouds Hut and was in the building’s emergency shelter, still in need of help.

According to Fish and Game, when the rescuers reached the Westside Trail and began making their way to the emergency shelter, sustained winds were at 90 mph, there was a windchill of -52 degrees, and an ambient temperature of -9 degrees.

“These conditions do not allow for exposed skin and require proper gear and experience to survive in,” the department said.

The first crew of rescuers arrived at the emergency shelter at 6:17 p.m., where they determined the 22-year-old was not injured but was suffering from hypothermia, wearing layers of frozen clothes and frozen hiking shoes.

According to the department, it took three hours to slowly warm the hiker. The crews and the rescued hiker arrived back at the base of the Cog Railway at 10:50 p.m., where the hiker was treated by ambulance for hypothermia and frostbite.

The 22-year-old refused recommendations to go to a hospital and was brought to his vehicle at 11:38 p.m.

Fish and Game said the hiker put himself and the lives of his rescuers at risk with his “poor choices.”

“[He] made numerous poor decisions in regards to the hike that he planned in the White Mountains,” the department said in a statement. “[He] did not have proper gear, equipment, weather planning, and or proper critical decisions in order to keep himself out of harm’s way and moving in the right direction on a dangerous mountain range. [He] saw other groups turn around and say, ‘The weather isn’t worth it.’ But he decided to keep going.”

The department said 173 people have died in the Presidential Range.

“Even though the rescuers complete these heroic tasks with humility and passion there is still never ending concern as to why inexperienced solo hikers continue to push on,” officials said.