New Hampshire
‘Unforgiving environment’: Dozens of hikers rescued each year in the White Mountains – The Boston Globe
The pair were unprepared for hiking in winter conditions: no sleeping bags, matches, phones, or any way of calling for help. They spent a brutal night on the mountain, both men succumbing to hypothermia before rescuers using a helicopter found them the next day. Osborne lost part of his right leg; Frederickson lost his life.
Osborne’s is but one of the many unforgiving lessons the White Mountains deliver on a regular basis to any hiker who underestimates its harsh and unpredictable conditions: In an eerie echo of the tragedy 16 years ago, on Thursday, another winter hiker suffered severe hypothermia and had to be rescued by helicopter from the very same mountain after becoming trapped overnight by deep snow and freezing conditions.
“People underestimate just how unforgiving the White Mountains can be,” said Ty Gagne, an avid hiker and author of three books about trouble in the White Mountains, including Osborne’s case. “I think there’s a certain amount of complacency that can happen because they’re four to six thousand feet.”
There have been more than 60 search-and-rescue efforts in the Whites just since June, including one in November in which two siblings had become hypothermic while hiking on the Lincoln Brook Trail. And, in the last five years alone, at least 20 more people have died in the White Mountains.
New Hampshire usually averages more than 100 hiker rescues a year, roughly half of them in the Whites, according to a New England-based hiking podcast group that tallied search-and -escue information from the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department.
With its easy access and proximity to large urban centers, the Whites have long been a destination for millions of hikers annually. The range boasts panoramic vistas, pristine lakes, and lush forests, plus the highest peak in the Northeast: Mount Washington, which stands at nearly 6,300 feet.
But the allure can also bring danger.
Climbers can easily get injured in the steep, uneven terrain. Since 2019, more than 250 hikers in New Hampshire have been rescued with lower leg injuries. About 40 succumbed to fatigue. Nearly 150 panicked or got lost.
“The mountains don’t care. They don’t discriminate,” said Gagne. “It doesn’t matter if you’re coming there with a young family, or if you’ve climbed 14,000 footers out west … the mountains aren’t going to relent. It can be a really unpredictable, unforgiving environment.”
As the winter weather descends on New England, the danger can compound.
“The clock is on, the second you’re immobile. Hypothermia sets in very quickly” said Mike McLaughlin, an experienced hiker and host of the Sounds Like a Search and Rescue podcast. “If you feel like you’re in a situation where you can’t get out, call for a rescue immediately.”
Franconia Ridge consistently requires the most rescues, with 68 in the past five years, data show. Mount Washington and Mount Chocorua were not far behind, with 60 and 42 rescues, respectively. All three are in the White Mountains.
Most rescue operations aren’t swift or easy, officials caution.
People “think you’re going to swoop in with a helicopter and pick them up. That’s not the way it works. It’s going to take three to four hours,” said Kevin Jordan, chief of law enforcement for New Hampshire Fish and Game.
Jordan leads a team of more than 40 search-and-rescue officers across six districts in New Hampshire. The group completed nearly 2,000 missions between 2009 and 2019, according to a report from the department.
In some cases, Jordan said, rescues had to be called off because weather conditions were too hazardous. Two of his officers are out with injuries for December.
The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department, which carries out most hiker rescues, recommends packing the following essential items for winter hiking: a map, compass, headlamp, fire starter, first aid kit, whistle, knife, warm clothing, extra food and water, and rain jackets and pants.
They also run the Hike Safe program, where hikers can buy a card that covers the cost of search-and-rescue operations in emergencies. The website also has additional safety tips.
Osborne and other rescued hikers say the work that Fish and Game does is crucial.
“They just have an incredibly important role for the protection of people,” said Osborne. Without rescuers, “plenty of people wouldn’t be here.”
Neena Hagen can be reached at neena.hagen@globe.com.
New Hampshire
Massachusetts Driver Dies After New Hampshire State Police Pursuit And Crash On Interstate 93 North
CONCORD, NH — A driver from Massachusetts was killed after being accused of speeding on Interstate 93 from Concord to Canterbury before crashing and dying, according to New Hampshire State Police.
Just before 1 a.m. Sunday, a trooper attempted to stop a car near Exit 12 on the northbound side of the highway. State police said the driver, later identified as Benjamin Tapia Gately, 20, of Saugus, MA, failed to stop and a chase ensued. During the pursuit, state police accused Gately of driving erratically and speeding up to 120 mph on the Interstate.
“As the Honda approached Exit 18, the driver attempted to take the off-ramp but lost control,” state police said. “The vehicle went off the road, crossed the northbound on-ramp, went down an embankment, and struck a tree.”
Gately was ejected from the car and died despite emergency responders from Canterbury Fire and Rescue attempting to save his life. No other people were in the car.
The crash remains under investigation, state police said.
New Hampshire
Missing 2-Year-Old Found | Man Dies After Dog Attack | Indictments | More: Nearby News NH
Community Corner
CVS takes over Rite Aid stores; “No Kings” protests; no “foul play,” cops say, after woman found dead inside apartment; government shutdown.
CONCORD, NH — Here are the Top 10 most popular stories and posts from around New Hampshire Patch sites last week.
Man Airlifted To Boston Hospital After Vicious Dog Attack in Nashua: Responders arrived at an unresponsive man with severe bites to his arm and neck. CPR was performed, restoring a pulse after nearly 20 minutes.
37-Year-Old Nashua Man Dies After Suffering Wounds From The Family Dog: The man had a seizure, which appears to have prompted the attack from the family dog at a home on Burgundy Drive, Saturday morning.
Find out what’s happening in Concordfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Major Pharmacy Taking Over 19 Rite Aid Stores, Prescriptions In NH: The deal to acquire select Rite Aid assets from the chain’s bankruptcy was announced by CVS in May.
Update: No Foul Play Connected To Death Investigation At Royal Gardens Apartment Complex, Police Say: Investigators were sent to an apartment to investigate an untimely death. After an autopsy, police say they do not suspect any foul play.
Find out what’s happening in Concordfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Homeless Man In Concord Arrested On Strangulation And Assault Charges After Incident On Bridge Street: Jonathan Shaw was accused of attacking a woman and impeding her breathing during an early morning incident on Thursday in Downtown Concord.
‘No Kings’ Protests Planned This Weekend Across NH: What To Know: At least 2,000 protests will be held Saturday in every state in the country.
NH Teens Killed in Crash | Is Accused Child Exploiter Ready To Roll On Ex-State Rep.? | More: Nearby News: Also: Motorcyclist killed in crash; bicyclist killed during hit-and-run incident; former b-ball coach admits to sexually assaulting girl.
Missing 2-Year-Old Girl Found Safe By New England K-9 Search Team After 4.5 Hour Search By Over 90 People: Over 90 people were searching in the dropping temperatures on Friday night in Dorchester. The child was transported to the hospital.
Do you have a news tip? Please email it to tony.schinella@patch.com. View videos on Tony Schinella’s YouTube or Rumble channels. Patch in New Hampshire is now in 190 communities. Also, follow Patch on Google Discover.
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