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More than 20 hikers rescued from Mount Washington amid wintry conditions
The hikers were hypothermic and lacking the proper gear needed to face the frigid temperatures when they were found and rescued.
Nearly two dozen hikers had to be rescued Saturday after they found themselves stranded and hypothermic on the summit of Mount Washington in New Hampshire.
Employees at the Mount Washington Cog Railway brought more than 20 “ill prepared hikers” down from the 6,288-foot summit, where wintry conditions are in full force, according to Andrew Vilaine, the railway’s assistant general manager.
“Many were hypothermic and without gear even near suitable for the conditions,” Vilaine said in a Facebook post. “Most had no idea that Summit services would be unavailable and that the state park was closed for the season. A few indicated it was their first hike ever.”
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Temperatures on Mount Washington’s summit this weekend have ranged in the single digits after accounting for wind chill, according to data from the National Weather Service. Due to the frigid summit conditions in the winter, the Cog Railway stops running trains to the peak in mid-October, according to the railway’s website.
As the Mount Washington State Park closes for the season at the same time, the railway instead runs services up to Waumbek Station, which has a lower, more tolerable elevation of 4,000 feet. Vilaine warned all prospective hikers to take heed and do their research on mountain temperatures before attempting a climb and running into trouble.
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“Hike Mount Washington like it is any one of the other 48 peaks,” Vilaine said in the post. “Do not assume services or a ride down. The summit is halfway.”
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