Two hikers from Massachusetts were rescued from Mount Lafayette in New Hampshire’s White Mountains early Saturday, Dec. 13, after they lost the trail while descending in winter conditions and one developed what officials described as “severe” hypothermia, according to a New Hampshire Fish and Game news release.
The rescue underscores the hazards of late-day hiking in the White Mountains during winter weather, and the risks search-and-rescue teams face when responding overnight in high winds, deep snow and low temperatures.
New Hampshire Fish and Game identified the hikers as Shane Squires, 35, and Robert Conlon, 41. According to the agency, the two began hiking the nine-mile Greenleaf Trail on Friday, Dec. 12, at about 1 p.m. local time.
As they descended from the summit, the pair lost the trail amid what Fish and Game described as heavy winds, “waist-high” snow and temperatures around 10 degrees Fahrenheit. At 9:45 p.m., Fish and Game conservation officers were contacted by the hikers, who reported they could not continue because one of them had suffered an injury to a leg.
“The two hikers lost their composure and would not listen to any advice being given to them,” Fish and Game said in the release.
At 11:25 p.m., Fish and Game conservation officers and volunteers with the Pemi Valley Search and Rescue Team set out to reach the hikers, according to the agency. Fish and Game said the Army National Guard was notified and determined a helicopter rescue was feasible.
As the night continued, one of the two men developed “severe” hypothermia and was in and out of consciousness, Fish and Game said.
An Army National Guard crew assembled in Concord and arrived at Franconia Notch around 2:30 a.m., according to the release. However, Fish and Game said the crew could not reach the hikers because heavy cloud cover limited access at around 3,700 feet.
At about 2:45 a.m., the first rescue team arrived on site, Fish and Game said. Rescuers provided the hikers with additional clothing and worked to warm them. The agency said rescuers also determined the reported leg injury was not as severe “as had been reported.”
At 3 a.m., the rescuers and hikers began the return trip toward the trail, according to Fish and Game. By about 5:30 a.m., the rescue party reached the trailhead.
Fish and Game said the men were able to “hike out with assistance,” and later drove themselves to a hospital, where they were treated for frostbite.
In its release, Fish and Game said the hikers were not properly prepared for the conditions. “The two were ill-equipped for a hike of this magnitude,” the agency said, adding that they lacked appropriate clothing and “were navigating with a phone when they lost the trail.”
Fish and Game used the incident to reiterate safety guidance for winter hiking in the White Mountains. “If hikers cannot adhere to the hiker responsibility code as set forth by the HikeSafe program then they should consider staying home,” the agency said. “Rescues of this magnitude and conditions put rescue personnel at great risk.”
