Storm strands hikers in chest-deep snow as trail vanishes, New Hampshire rescuers say

Two hikers who “fought their way through chest-deep snow” back onto a trail on Mount Washington required an overnight rescue, New Hampshire officials reported.

Two women, ages 51 and 54, both of Massachusetts, called 911 just after 6 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 2, to say they were lost off-trail in deep snow about 5,000 feet up the mountain, New Hampshire Fish & Game said in a Feb. 4 news release.

Using GPS positioning, a conservation officer determined they were 34 feet from the trail and guided them back onto it over the phone, rescuers said.

The two women spent two hours navigating through chest-deep snow and tree wells to get back to the trail but lost it again because of wind and blowing snow, rescuers said.

After several calls, the two huddled for warmth to wait for rescue at about 8:30 p.m., officials said.

A snowcat carried rescuers to the summit, where they set out at 11 p.m. in snowshoes in whiteout conditions to find the stranded hikers.

Weather conditions on the mountain included -2 degree temperatures and sustained winds of 50 to 60 miles an hour, officials said.

“The only way to locate the trail was through GPS navigation, and progress was slow due to the tremendous effort required to break a trail in the deep snow,” rescuers said.

Rescue crews found the hikers at 1:50 a.m., officials said. Both were alive and coherent but had cold-weather injuries. After warming the hikers in emergency shelters, rescuers accompanied them off the mountain.

One hiker was taken to a hospital for cold-weather injuries, rescuers said.

“Both hikers were prepared and had winter hiking experience, but ultimately encountered unforeseen conditions,” officials said. “Had they not had the amount of gear that they had with them, it is unlikely that they would have survived until rescuers reached them.”

Mount Washington is a 6,288-foot-high peak with a cog railway to the summit, state park officials say.

This story was originally published February 4, 2025 at 8:54 AM with the headline "Storm strands hikers in chest-deep snow as trail vanishes, New Hampshire rescuers say."