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‘Unforgiving environment’: Dozens of hikers rescued each year in the White Mountains – The Boston Globe

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‘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.

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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.”

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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.

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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.

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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.





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New Hampshire

Video: Light icy mix, slick spots possible

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Video: Light icy mix, slick spots possible


Video: Light icy mix, slick spots possible

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AND NOW THERE’S SOME ICE UP NORTH THIS MORNING. SO SOME LOCALIZED SLICK SPOTS POSSIBLE NOW AND PROBABLY THROUGH THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS, SAY THROUGH ABOUT 9 OR 10 A.M. AS THE TEMPERATURES HOVER NEAR FREEZING, ESPECIALLY NEAR AND NORTH OF THE LAKES REGION. SO ANYTHING UNTREATED MAY BE A BIT SLICK. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FOR GRAFTON, CARROLL AND COOS COUNTIES THROUGH 10 A.M. AND THIS IS WHERE MOST OF US ARE SEEING TEMPERATURES NEAR OR BELOW 32. WE’RE RIGHT THERE IN PLYMOUTH AND IN LACONIA, SOME HIGHER ELEVATIONS THROUGH CHESHIRE AND SULLIVAN COUNTIES AS WELL. SITTING VERY CLOSE TO FREEZING. SO BASICALLY ANYWHERE YOU SEE THIS BLUE COLOR HAS AT LEAST THE CHANCE FOR HAVING SOME LIGHT FREEZING RAIN. IT’S A HEAVIER RAIN IN NORTHERN NEW HAMPSHIRE, AND EVEN WITHIN JUST THE PAST COUPLE OF MINUTES. FOR THOSE OF YOU IN THE GREATER CONWAY AREA. YEAH, YOU SEE THIS LIGHTNING BOLT ON THE RADAR. SO SOME THUNDER WAKING YOU UP IN THE MOUNT WASHINGTON VALLEY AND RIGHT ALONG ROUTE 16. AND AGAIN, IT IS KIND OF FUNNY THAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT THUNDER AND LIGHTNING. THE TEMPERATURES ARE SO CLOSE TO FREEZING. REALLY DOESN’T HAVE MUCH OF AN IMPACT ABOUT WHAT’S GOING ON UP IN THE CLOUD, BUT CERTAINLY DOWN AT GROUND LEVEL. ANYWHERE YOU SEE THIS PINK COLOR, THAT RAIN COULD BE FREEZING ON CONTACT. IT’S A LITTLE BIT MILDER RIGHT ALONG THE CONNECTICUT RIVER, BUT YOU GET JUST EAST OF THERE, OVER THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS AND UP INTO THE GREAT NORTH WOODS AS WELL, THROUGH, SAY, ERROL BERLIN, GORHAM. THAT’S WHERE THEY’RE LIKELY SOME SLICK SPOTS TO CONTEND WITH THROUGH THIS MORNING. YOU SEE THE PINK COLOR LINGERING IN NORTHERN NEW HAMPSHIRE THROUGH ABOUT 7 A.M. ON FUTURECAST. NOT COMPLETELY DRY. FARTHER SOUTH, THOUGH, THE DRIZZLE, THE LOW CLOUDS. THE FOG MAKING FOR A CHILLY, MURKY MORNING COMMUTE OUT THERE, THERE MAY BE A POP UP SHOWER OR DOWNPOUR MID MORNING, EVEN FAR SOUTH, AND THEN FROM MIDDAY AND BEYOND, THE CLOUDS WILL SLOWLY START TO BREAK APART FROM WEST TO EAST. THAT SHOULD ALLOW FOR SOME SUNSHINE THAT WILL WARM OUR TEMPERATURES UP A BIT LATER ON. TODAY. ONE LAST FRONT COMES IN LATER ON THIS EVENING. ALONG. IT COULD COME IN ADDITIONAL SPOT SHOWER OR DOWNPOUR. MUCH OF WESTERN AND SOUTHERN NEW HAMPSHIRE MAKES A RUN TOWARD THE UPPER 50S TO NEAR 60 DEGREES TODAY, WITH THAT SUN BREAKING OUT THIS AFTERNOON, BUT LIKELY SOME COOLER POCKETS IN THE LAKES REGION IN THE MOUNT WASHINGTON VALLEY THAT KEEP TEMPERATURES THERE A BIT CLOSER TO THE 50 DEGREE MARK. ITS OPENING DAY DOWN AT FENWAY. FIRST PITCH THERE IN BOSTON, COMING UP AT 210. THINGS SHOULD BE DRYING OUT, BUT YOU SEE THE TEMPERATURES A LITTLE BIT COOLER GIVEN THEY’RE RIGHT ALONG THE COASTLINE, THOUGH IN THE LATE INNINGS THERE COULD BE SOME SUNSHINE. NOT A BAD APRIL DAY FOR OPENING DAY DOWN AT FENWAY PARK. AND IT LOOKS LIKE WE’RE GOING TO GET IN OPENING DAY AT DELTA DENTAL STADIUM. THAT’S WHERE WE FIND OUR FRIEND, METEOROLOGIST KEVIN SKARUPA. THIS MORNING, KEVIN, THE FISHER CATS FIRST PITCH COMING UP LATER ON TONIGHT. WHAT CAN WE EXPECT FOR THAT? YEAH, IT’S A GOOD THING THAT WE’RE NOT HAVING THE THE GAME AT 6:03 A.M. BECAUSE YOU SEE THAT. YEAH. 30S AND A LITTLE BIT OF DRIZZLE OUT HERE EARLY THIS MORNING. WE ARE LOOKING AT IMPROVING CONDITIONS AS YOU’VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT. AS WE GRADUALLY GO THROUGH THE DAY. WE CLIMB THROUGH THE 40S THIS MORNING, THROUGH THE 50S THIS AFTERNOON WITH THE BUILDING BREEZE AND WITH ANY SORT OF SUNSHINE AT ALL. YOU’RE TALKING UPPER 50S. THAT IS FOR FIRST PITCH JUST AFTER 6:00 THIS EVENING. THEY ARE FACING THE BINGHAMTON RUMBLE PONIES, WHICH JUST HAPPENED TO BE THE DEFENDING CHAMPS OF THE DIVISION. SO THEY’RE RIGHT OUT OF THE FRYING PAN AND INTO THE FIRE. RIGHT TONIGHT. 6:03 P.M. A LOT OF NEW STUFF TO CHECK OUT HERE WITH THE FISHER CATS. WE WILL HAVE MUCH MORE COMING UP FROM THE GIFT SHOP COMING UP IN JUST A FEW MINUTES. BACK TO YOU. SOUNDS GREAT, KEVIN, THANKS FOR THAT. AND IT’S GOOD TO SEE THAT WE’LL HAVE SOME BRIGHT AND WARMER WEATHER FOR FIRST PITCH LATER ON THIS EVENING. WE’LL HANG ON TO THE BRIGHT SKIES TOMORROW, BUT THE TEMPERATURES FALL ON SATURDAY, LIKELY REACHING THE 50S IN THE MORNING AND PROBABLY BACK IN THE 40S FOR THE AFTERNOON. UNFORTUNATELY FOR EASTER EGG HUNTS ON SUNDAY, IT IS LOOKING DAMP WITH TIMES OF CLOUDS AND SHOWER

Milder air gradually returns today after a damp start. The weekend is split with some sun Saturday, then shower chances on Easter. Cooler air will follow a front that moves in later Sunday.A winter weather advisory will be in effect for Coos, Carroll and Grafton counties until 10:00 a.m.Drizzle and light icing in higher elevations continues this morning, and a quick downpour can’t be ruled out. Clouds should gradually erode for some sunny breaks this afternoon. Temperatures will climb to near or just above 60 degrees in southern and western New Hampshire, though we may only get to near 50 in parts of the Lakes Region and Mt. Washington Valley.A spot evening shower or downpour is possible, otherwise partial clearing tonight with lows in the 40s.Partly sunny on Saturday. Temperatures may briefly climb into the 50s during the morning, then an easterly breeze will knock readings back into the 40s for the afternoon.An approaching front will keep Easter cloudy and unsettled. There may be some scattered showers early in the morning, with steadier light rain possible during the afternoon. Clearing skies but cooler air for early next week.

Milder air gradually returns today after a damp start. The weekend is split with some sun Saturday, then shower chances on Easter. Cooler air will follow a front that moves in later Sunday.

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A winter weather advisory will be in effect for Coos, Carroll and Grafton counties until 10:00 a.m.

Drizzle and light icing in higher elevations continues this morning, and a quick downpour can’t be ruled out. Clouds should gradually erode for some sunny breaks this afternoon. Temperatures will climb to near or just above 60 degrees in southern and western New Hampshire, though we may only get to near 50 in parts of the Lakes Region and Mt. Washington Valley.

A spot evening shower or downpour is possible, otherwise partial clearing tonight with lows in the 40s.

Partly sunny on Saturday. Temperatures may briefly climb into the 50s during the morning, then an easterly breeze will knock readings back into the 40s for the afternoon.

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An approaching front will keep Easter cloudy and unsettled. There may be some scattered showers early in the morning, with steadier light rain possible during the afternoon. Clearing skies but cooler air for early next week.



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Video: Showers to start Friday before a mild evening

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Video: Showers to start Friday before a mild evening


Video: Showers to start Friday before a mild evening

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Now Chief meteorologist Mike Haddad with your storm watch 9 forecast. Oh, the temperatures on the chilly side and then some cold enough for *** touch of wet snow in the last, say, 2 or 3 hours even here in downtown Manchester. But right now *** lot of that has lifted away. The clouds linger, more showers building in from the west, bumping in this cold air. Only 35 at this hour. Normal high 52, so we are nowhere near the normal. For this time of year in early April and even farther north, not *** whole lot warmer despite being away from the ocean influence of that wind coming in off of the chilly Atlantic right now, 30 to 40, not gonna fall off all that much as the night wears on. Band of showers number 1 approaching right now, filling into the Meannock region, places like Keene and Hinsdale and all the way up to about say Charlestown and southern parts of Solomon County near the Upper Valley getting in on. Some light rain or some light mixing, but it’s *** narrow band. It’s not gonna last more than, say, *** couple of hours, and it’ll be gone by about 10 o’clock this evening. And in the wake of that, still lingering clouds, sprinkles of rain, or even *** touch of light icing, and then more filling in by early tomorrow morning, especially to the north. Speaking of the north, winter weather advisories, if we needed any more of that right, central and northern locales of the lake. Region, the White Mountains and points north, 8 p.m. tonight to about 9 or 10:00 a.m. tomorrow morning. So here’s our timeline of all of that. As I mentioned, the showers building in *** quick hitter in the next 3 or 4 hours, gone by about 9 or 10 o’clock with the clouds lingering, and we’re right near freezing, especially western, central and northern New Hampshire. So there, anything untreated could glaze over. So watch out for that if you’re traveling overnight tonight after *** dry. Overnight period by about 4 or 5 a.m. through the morning drive tomorrow, more showers in the form of rain, but again right near freezing, so *** touch of light icing, especially the farther north you go. But then by the afternoon, totally different story. The winds turn around out of the southwest, the clouds break apart, and here comes that early spring warmth just in time for the Red Sox home opener tomorrow afternoon and the Fisher Cats opener. Right here in the Queen City in the early evening. So again, the highs tomorrow, much better than we are out there right now. So again for the Sox home opener tomorrow, we’re drying out by midday and early afternoon later on in the innings, hopefully with the Red Sox ahead. Peaks of sun and the temperatures in the mid to upper 50s. Next round of showers, unfortunately Easter Sunday. Tough to call the exact timeline, but it looks like *** late morning and afternoon event, dry and cool Monday through Wednesday.

Cold, raw, and damp through early Friday. Pockets of an icy mix are possible over higher elevations north and west Thursday night. By Friday afternoon the skies will try to clear as milder air moves in. Some sun on Saturday with highs in the upper 50s, but now it looks wet on Easter Sunday, with morning showers then a steadier rain in the afternoon and evening. Even cooler feel early next week.A winter weather advisory will be in effect for Coos, Carroll and Grafton counties in New Hampshire from 8:00 p.m. Thursday evening until 10:00 a.m. Friday morning. This is due to the risk of light icy mix, which could slow travel.Once morning showers clear away on Friday, it’s back to milder weather with many areas seeing temperatures rebound into the 50s and 60s with some sun. The weekend could also feature the chance of showers each day, but Saturday looks like the drier of the two weekend days. Temperatures will likely land in the upper 50s to near 60. A steadier batch of rain is then possible on Sunday with some cooler temperatures again early next week.

Cold, raw, and damp through early Friday. Pockets of an icy mix are possible over higher elevations north and west Thursday night. By Friday afternoon the skies will try to clear as milder air moves in. Some sun on Saturday with highs in the upper 50s, but now it looks wet on Easter Sunday, with morning showers then a steadier rain in the afternoon and evening. Even cooler feel early next week.

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A winter weather advisory will be in effect for Coos, Carroll and Grafton counties in New Hampshire from 8:00 p.m. Thursday evening until 10:00 a.m. Friday morning. This is due to the risk of light icy mix, which could slow travel.

Once morning showers clear away on Friday, it’s back to milder weather with many areas seeing temperatures rebound into the 50s and 60s with some sun. The weekend could also feature the chance of showers each day, but Saturday looks like the drier of the two weekend days. Temperatures will likely land in the upper 50s to near 60. A steadier batch of rain is then possible on Sunday with some cooler temperatures again early next week.

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As hoops betting spikes, it’s New Hampshire and other states vs. prediction markets

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As hoops betting spikes, it’s New Hampshire and other states vs. prediction markets


The state of New Hampshire receives revenue from sports wagers made with DraftKings, but officials are worried that people will switch to new prediction market platforms.

Zoey Knox/NHPR


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Zoey Knox/NHPR

Two things have New Hampshire state Sen. Tim Lang feeling blue.

“I do have a bracket. It broke pretty hard,” says Lang, a Republican, on the sorry state of his NCAA men’s basketball tournament predictions.

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He says he’s also concerned about the outlook for state revenues. New Hampshire legalized sports wagering in 2019, the year after the U.S. Supreme Court cleared the way for states to legalize and regulate sports gambling. Since then, the state has raked in more than $170 million through a partnership with the wagering company DraftKings. Big money in a small state.

The rise of Kalshi and Polymarket — major players in the fast-growing world of prediction markets — could put a dent in those revenues, Lang fears. He says he plans to introduce legislation as early as this week that would clear the way for New Hampshire to join states around the U.S. in suing the prediction market companies.

“We have a revenue model for our sports betting that allows us to pay for education and other state services that Kalshi is completely going around by avoiding our gaming laws,” he says. “They should not be able to skirt our state laws.”

States are suing to regulate prediction markets 

Prediction companies let customers buy “yes” or “no” futures contracts on the outcomes of world events, elections and, crucially for states, sports. Because the companies contend they’re operating as a financial market and not a sportsbook, the states don’t get a cut of the proceeds.

States including Connecticut, Michigan and Washington are in court battles with the prediction market companies. Arizona went so far as to charge Kalshi in criminal court for offering illegal sports wagers.

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Kalsi and Polymarket didn’t respond to a request for comment for this story. In legal filings, Kalshi has argued that it’s already regulated by the federal Commodity Futures Trading Commission and that having to operate in 50 different ways to appease 50 different states isn’t possible. The Trump administration, so far, backs that view.

Courts so far have handed down mixed rulings, leaving a messy situation on the ground, especially about what’s considered sports gambling.

The law is unsettled so far

“Is sports betting and prediction market synonymous, or are they sufficiently distinct that there should be different treatment under the law? I mean, that’s an open-ended question,” says Michael McCann, director of the University of New Hampshire’s Sports and Entertainment Law Institute.

Even with the prospect of lost state revenues, not everyone in New Hampshire is eager to clamp down on prediction markets. John Stephen, an elected Republican member of the council that oversees state contracts, likes the competition that prediction markets bring.

“Companies that are trying to make money, and this entrepreneurial spirit that we have in this country, I value that,” he says.

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Todd Bookman is a general assignment reporter for New Hampshire Public Radio.



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