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Two Canadian hikers were rescued Saturday after facing “life-threatening” conditions while climbing a Vermont mountain, Vermont State Police said.
A 21-year-old man called 911 on Feb. 7 after he and a 19-year-old woman needed rescue after becoming extremely cold. The pair were close to the summit of Camel’s Hump mountain in Duxbury, State Police said.
Rescue teams began to climb the 4,083-foot mountain at about 6 p.m., searching for the freezing hikers, police said.
Temperatures were below zero, with wind chills nearing minus 20 degrees. There was also deep snow on the mountain, police said.
Emergency crews audibly directed the hikers to the Alpine Trail, where the two began to make their way below the tree line, police said.
Search and rescue teams began heading to the Monroe Trail, with a team of rescuers climbing the peak with a stretcher. The Monroe Trail intersects with the Alpine Trail, Vermont State Police said.
At 11:20 p.m. rescue teams reached the hikers, who were suffering from hypothermia, according to State Police.
The man was able to walk down the trail after being warmed. The woman was loaded onto the stretcher, police said.
Crews reached the bottom of the trail close to 4 a.m., where an ambulance transported the woman to a local hospital for treatment. The hikers, both from Ontario, are expected to make a full recovery, police said.
Lt. Thomas Howard, commander of the Vermont State Police’s search and rescue team, said the combined efforts and multiple rescue crews in “incredibly challenging conditions” saved the hikers’ lives.
The state of Vermont does not hold those who call for backcountry help financially liable for their rescue, State Police said.
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Initial filings for unemployment benefits in Vermont rose last week compared with the week prior, the U.S. Department of Labor said Thursday.
New jobless claims, a proxy for layoffs, increased to 375 in the week ending February 21, up from 357 the week before, the Labor Department said.
U.S. unemployment claims rose to 212,000 last week, up 4,000 claims from 208,000 the week prior on a seasonally adjusted basis.
Rhode Island saw the largest percentage increase in weekly claims, with claims jumping by 132.0%. Michigan, meanwhile, saw the largest percentage drop in new claims, with claims dropping by 49.9%.
USA TODAY Co. is publishing localized versions of this story on its news sites across the country, generated with data from the U.S. Department of Labor’s weekly unemployment insurance claims report.
The 2025-2026 Vermont high school winter season has begun. See below for scores, schedules and game details (statistical leaders, game notes) from basketball, hockey, gymnastics, wrestling, Nordic/Alpine skiing and other winter sports.
Coaches or team representatives are asked to report results ASAP after games by emailing sports@burlingtonfreepress.com. Please submit with a name/contact number.
▶ Contact Alex Abrami at aabrami@freepressmedia.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter: @aabrami5.
▶ Contact Judith Altneu at JAltneu@usatodayco.com. Follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter: @Judith_Altneu.
Games at 7 p.m. unless noted
Peoples at North Country, 6:30 p.m.
Northfield at Stowe
Hazen at U-32
Oxbow at BFA-Fairfax
Winooski at Middlebury
Watch Vermont high school games on NFHS Network
Mount Mansfield at South Burlington
Essex at St. Johnsbury
BFA-St. Albans at Colchester
Lamoille at Spaulding
Lyndon at Harwood
Williamstown at Twinfield/Cabot
Rice at Champlain Valley
Randolph at Montpelier
Lake Region at Thetford
(Subject to change)
BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) – The historic ‘Blizzard of 2026′ brought a winter’s worth of snowfall to Southern New England, especially Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts area. Both states including New Jersey had snowfall totals that surpassed each respective state’s 24-hour snowfall record. Vermont on the other hand, too far north of the storm only received a fraction of the amount of snow.
HIGHEST SNOWFALL REPORTS BY STATE FROM BLIZZARD 2026:
In northern Vermont, Burlington only received a few flakes from this historic nor’easter. Despite that, Burlington’s seasonal snowfall to date still ranks in the top ten across the eastern United States.
Current seasonal snowfall total rankings in the Eastern United States as of February 24th, 2026:
Copyright 2026 WCAX. All rights reserved.
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