New Hampshire

Mass. hikers rescued after hitting whiteout conditions on NH's Franconia Ridge

Published

1 year ago

February 10, 2025

Mass. hikers rescued after hitting whiteout conditions on NH's Franconia Ridge

Rescuers helped guide three hikers caught in whiteout conditions on Franconia Ridge in New Hampshire to safety after responding to an SOS alert Sunday evening.

The response began around 5:30 p.m. when the New Hampshire Fish and Game Rescue Coordination Center received an SOS alert from the area of Mount Lincoln. By calling the listed emergency contacts, conservation officers learned that three hikers had been caught in whiteout conditions while hiking the Falling Waters/Bridle Path Loop. The hikers had texted that they needed help and were struggling with cold-related injuries.

The hikers had a Garmin device that allowed rescuers to track their movements as they continued to the summit of Mount Lafayette. A team of rescuers, including conservation officers and volunteers from the Pemi Valley Search and Rescue Team, eventually caught up with the hikers during their descent, meeting up around 9:10 p.m. After giving the hikers fresh lights, the whole group made it to the trailhead by 10:20 p.m.

Officials said the group identified as a 24-year-old from Boston, a 24-year-old from Cambridge and a 25-year-old from Boston, were fairly well-prepared for a winter hike but lacked experience above the treeline. They started the trip around 9 a.m., taking the Falling Waters Trail to Franconia Ridge. They started to struggle on the ridge due to deep snow and whiteout conditions that made it hard to keep to the trail.

Officials said the hikers began to panic when they activated the SOS on their device, but knew it would take hours for rescuers to arrive and feared turning back would be more dangerous.

The group had a Hike Safe Card and had informed their emergency contacts of their plans before heading out. This was supposed to be a training hike for Mount Washington, which is now on hold. The hikers were grateful to the rescuers.

Franconia Ridge is a well-known hiking area in the White Mountains that includes a series of trails through Mount Lafayette, Mount Lincoln, and Little Haystack. Conditions can quickly become hazardous in the winter.

Hikers are reminded to prepare for winter conditions and always pack these 10 essentials: map, compass, warm clothing, extra food and water, headlamp, fire starter, first aid kit, whistle, rain/wind jackets and pants, and a knife. For more information on hiking safety, visit hikeSafe.com.

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New Hampshire

N.H. woman accused of civil rights violation after allegedly shooting at lost man because he was Black

Published

7 hours ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

N.H. woman accused of civil rights violation after allegedly shooting at lost man because he was Black

Local News

Diane Durgin, 67, is accused of shooting at a Black man who inadvertently drove to her property after a prearranged truck part sale, prosecutors said.

A New Hampshire woman is accused of violating the state’s Civil Rights Act four times after she allegedly shot at a man because he was Black, prosecutors said.

Diane Durgin, 67, of Weare, N.H. could face up to a $5,000 fine for each violation she is found to have committed, the office of New Hampshire Attorney General John Formella said in a press release Tuesday.

Durgin is also charged with criminal threatening against a person with a deadly weapon and attempted first degree assault with a deadly weapon, Michael Garrity, a media representative for the New Hampshire Attorney General, said in an emailed statement to Boston.com.

Durgin had a final pre-trial conference last week, Garrity said.

In a civil complaint filed Tuesday, Durgin is accused of threatening physical force against the victim, the AG said. Prosecutors asked the court to issue a preliminary injunction barring Durgin from repeating her alleged behavior and from contacting the victim and his family.

During the morning hours of Oct. 20, 2024, the victim claims, he “mistakenly” drove to Durgin’s home after a prearranged purchase of a truck part with a seller online, prosecutors wrote as part of their request for an injunction.

When the man — whom prosecutors identified in court documents as X.G. — arrived, Durgin allegedly stepped out of her home and approached his car with a gun “holstered by her waist,” prosecutors wrote.

Upon noticing that X.G. was Black, Durgin allegedly “removed her gun and pointed it at X.G.,” prosecutors said in the injunction request.

While X.G. explained that he was lost, Durgin called the victim a “Black mother[expletive],” and threatened to “kill him,” prosecutors allege.

As the victim attempted to drive away, Durgin allegedly took her gun and fired two shots at the fleeing man’s car, missing both times, the AG’s office said.

While on the phone with a dispatcher, Durgin allegedly said she shot the man’s car because the victim is Black, the AG said.

“The guy is Black. And he, he…he says he’s meeting someone here and I think he’s coming here to steal,” Durgin allegedly said.

Police located X.G. and brought him to the Weare Police Department, stopping along the way at the correct seller’s home to complete the truck part purchase, prosecutors wrote in court documents.

To prove a violation of the New Hampshire Civil Rights Act, the AG must show that Durgin “interfered or attempted to interfere with the rights of the victim to engage in lawful activities by threatening to engage in or actually engage in physical force or violence, when such actual or threatening conduct was motivated by race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, sex, gender identity, or disability,” prosecutors said.

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New Hampshire

Up to 4 inches of snow expected in NH tonight. See latest forecast

Published

19 hours ago

March 3, 2026

Press Room

Up to 4 inches of snow expected in NH tonight. See latest forecast

It may be March, but winter in New Hampshire is far from over. Just one week after a blizzard tore through the state with heavy snow and high winds, the state is getting another round of snowfall.

The state will get three to five inches during the evening and night of Tuesday, March 3, says the National Weather Service (NWS) of Gray, Maine. While the accumulation will not be significant, the snowfall may cause dangerous road conditions and a layer of ice on the ground in certain parts of the state.

Here’s what to know before tonight’s snow in New Hampshire, including snow totals and timing.

When will it snow in NH tonight?

According to the NWS, it will start snowing in New Hampshire during mid-afternoon or early evening and continue through the night. Specifically, snow will arrive to the southern part of the state around 2-3 p.m., spreading northwards through the rest of New Hampshire by 5 p.m.

Rain or freezing rain will mix in later this evening across southern New Hampshire, creating a wintry mix. All precipitation should move out of the state by midnight.

Due to the timing of today’s snowfall, the Tuesday evening commute will be affected, with the NWS warning to slow down and exercise caution while driving.

How much snow will NH get tonight?

New Hampshire will get one to four inches of snow tonight, with one to two inches in northern New Hampshire, two to three inches in southern New Hampshire and three to four inches in the center of the state, with the possibility for five inches in localized areas.

In the Seacoast specifically, Portsmouth, Rye, Hampton and York are expected to get between two to three inches of snow, while Dover, Exeter and Rochester may get up to four.

The wintry mix may also cause a light glaze of ice across southern New Hampshire.

NH weather watches and warnings

The NWS has issued a winter weather advisory for the state of New Hampshire, in effect from 1 p.m. on Tuesday, March 3 through 4 a.m. on Wednesday, March 4.