A pair of siblings suffering from the early stages of hypothermia was rescued from the Lincoln Brook Trail in Franconia, N.H., early Sunday after they fell into the brook twice, soaking two sets of clothes amid near-freezing temperatures, officials said.
Xander Dalke, 20, of Hanover, N.H., and Aylen Dalke, 18, of South Hadley, Mass., had begun a planned two-day hike around Owl’s Head Mountain about 7 a.m., but their plans were disrupted when the pair fell into Lincoln Brook, according to a statement released by New Hampshire Fish and Game.
The siblings changed into dry clothing, but later fell into the water a second time, soaking their remaining clothes, according to the statement. Temperatures in Franconia were nearly freezing at the time, according to the National Weather Service.
After falling into the water, the hikers decided to make camp and attempt to warm themselves, but upon setting up a tent, they began experiencing the early stages of hypothermia, according to the statement. Both hikers came well equipped, and used a satellite messaging device to contact Dartmouth Outdoor Programs despite not having cellular phone service.
Coordinates from the device showed the pair was located more than 8 miles from the trailhead, according to the statement.
Conservation officers were notified of the rescue request around 7 p.m. Saturday, according to the statement. Around 2:30 a.m. Sunday, two conservation officers reached the tent site and found the Dalke siblings inside sleeping bags. The siblings were given dry clothing, and around 3:30 a.m. they began hiking back to the trailhead, where they arrived around 7:15 a.m.
No further injuries were reported. Officials did not specify whether the pair required medical attention.
Conservation officers encourage any prospective hikers to expect wintry conditions and to prepare for hikes with essential equipment, including “a map, compass, warm clothing, extra food and water, headlamp, fire starter, first aid kit, whistle, rain/wind jackets & pants, and a knife,” according to the statement.
Collin Robisheaux can be reached at collin.robisheaux@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @ColRobisheaux.
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