Erica Laue and her family spent their New Years Eve snacking and playing Dungeons and Dragons with friends. But the next morning, they decided to hit the trails and catch the scenery at Monadnock State Park.
Hikers saw a bit of sun peaking through the fog as they made their way up the Parker Trail at Monadnock State Park.
“I am so carb loaded and ready to go,” Laue said before they hit the trails.
They were among the crowds of solo hikers, couples and families who made their way to participating New Hampshire State Parks on Wednesday as part of the annual First Day Hikes. The state has been hosting these self-guided hikes each New Year’s Day for the past 14 years.
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Officials at Monadnock State Park say they saw maybe 80 to 100 people roll through on Wednesday — some hit the Parker Trail, which was designated for First Day Hikes, while others set out for the top of the mountain. Other participating parks in New Hampshire included Odiorne Point, Pawtuckaway and Milan Hill. It’s also a tradition practiced at state parks around the country.
The Laues have been doing First Day Hikes for the past eight years, originally starting the tradition when they lived in Colorado. When they moved to New Hampshire, they were happy to find that the state offered these hikes, too. At the time, they had a 2-year-old and another child on the way — and it’s turned into a family tradition.
They’ve previously explored Bear Brook and Odiorne Point State Park. But this year, they met up with Laue’s sister, parents and extended family at Monadnock State Park.
“As a family, this is something we really love doing, and so this is one of the ways we spend quality time together,” Laue said, adding that the kids got their first backpacking kits for Christmas and the family is planning a hiking trip in the summer.
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New Years Day 2025 started off with a bit of fog and rain, but it didn’t stop roughly 80 to 100 people from hiking Monadnock State Park that afternoon. People chose to hike for the scenery, for family traditions and to start the New Year with a bit of nature.
Roxanne Loudon, an avid hiker from Peterborough, was also on the trails with her kids and husband.
It was her fourth year of First Day Hikes, and she chose Monadnock State Park this year because it’s close to home and she enjoys the reservoirs and dam.
Over the years of participating in the tradition, she said she’s seen everything from porcupines in trees to pheasants on the trails. (She says pheasants are the ones to be concerned about, because they’ll chase you down.)
Loudon said she’s pretty horrible at holding New Year’s resolutions, but she has one in mind this year: keeping her phone off the trails. She says if you want to enjoy nature, ditch the phone, buy a camera and take it with you on the hike instead.
“Our goal this year is to get a landline, that’s our goal, that’s our resolution,” Loudon said. “And I know I can meet that.”
BEDFORD, N.H. (WHDH) – A Bedford, New Hampshire police officer was rushed to the hospital early Saturday morning after suffering a gunshot wound during a struggle with a suspect who was attempting to remove their firearm from their holster, officials said.
Officers responding to a report of a suspicious person at the Country Inn & Suites on South River Road around 1 a.m. spotted the suspect take off on foot, according to a department spokesperson.
During a struggle with one of the officers, a gun was discharged when the suspect tried to take it out of the officer’s holster.
The injured officer was taken to a Manchester hospital with what was believed to be non-life-threatening injuries.
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The suspect, whose name has not been released, is in custody and is expected to be arraigned on criminal charges.
No additional information was immediately available.
This is a developing news story; stay with 7NEWS on-air and online for the latest details.
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A 12-year-old has died in a horrific accident after plowing into a tree while skiing in New Hampshire, said officials.
The young boy had been skiing at the Cranmore Mountain Resort on New Year’s Eve when he crashed into the tree, said Conway Police Department Thursday.
North Conway Fire and Rescue responded to the accident at the popular ski resort late morning after receiving reports of an unconscious boy on Skimobile Road in North Conway.
The child, who remains unidentified, had been skiing down The Bandit trail, which is listed as an intermediate run.
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CPR was quickly initiated at the scene and he was rushed to a local hospital, where he was declared dead.
“When rescue personnel arrived on scene, the 12-year-old male was being treated by Cranmore Mountain Ski Patrol who had transported the boy to the base of the mountain,” the police said in a statement.
“He was then transported by Action Ambulance to Maine Health Memorial Hospital in North Conway where he passed as a result of the injuries sustained in the collision,” officials added.
“On behalf of the Conway Police Department, and all the first responders who assisted, I would like to offer my deepest condolences to the family members of the 12-year-old boy,” said Conway Police Chief Christopher Mattei.
When approached for comment a Cranmore Mountain Resort spokesperson told The Independent: “On behalf of Cranmore Mountain Resort, our thoughts, and prayers go out to the family. The entire Cranmore family grieves this tragic loss.”
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When asked to comment on the number of incidents that have occurred at the Cranmore resort, the spokesperson did not respond.
Last March a 14-year-old boy died after crashing into a tree while snowboarding down a beginner trail on Dercum Mountain in Colorado.
Levi Inama had been a student at Palmer Ridge High School in Monument when the ski patrol was called then to a “serious incident.” The teenager died days later after being taken off life support at a Denver hospital, reported The Colorado Sun.
The Independent contacted the Conway Police Department for further information.
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