Six Massachusetts hikers rescued in four days from the White Mountains

TO The spring surge of rescues has kept New Hampshire fish and game busy this week, as six Massachusetts hikers needed emergency assistance on trails in the White Mountains in just one four-day period between April 17-20.

The first White Mountain rescue near the Presidential Range

He most recent incident What happened occurred on Monday, April 20, when Jonathan Gullotti, 56, of North Reading, Massachusetts, got lost on the Rocky Branch Trail, just east of the Presidential Range. After leaving the Glen Boulder trailhead at approximately 8:45 a.m., Gullotti got caught in a snowstorm and took a wrong turn. To escape the strong winds and accumulating snow, he ended up on the Rocky Branch Trail, where he realized he had made several wrong turns and needed directions to get out.

He called for help at approximately 6:13 p.m. New Hampshire Fish and Game and the U.S. Forest Service responded by driving down a closed forest service road to approximately two miles from his position, successfully directing him out of the forest approximately an hour and a half later.

Franconian Notch Rescue

On Friday, April 17, three hikers from Haverhill, Massachusetts: 21-year-old Joelina Pereyra, 23-year-old Arianna Pereyra, and 22-year-old Nayeli Rodríguez.assistance required on the Falling Waters Trail in Franconia Notch. The trio left the trailhead at 8:00 am and ascended Old Bridle Path to Franconia Ridge. However, icy conditions slowed their progress.

About 1.5 miles from the trailhead, the trio lost power and no lights to navigate the trail. Lacking proper clothing for the cold temperatures, they also felt they could not safely cross Dry Brook, which the trail crosses five times. A pair of officers responded to the call and first made contact with the group at 11:05 p.m., providing them with lights and warm clothing.

Much of the trail up Franconia Ridge is above treeline and exposed. Photo via katie jackson

After safely navigating the upper creek crossing, the group headed to the lower portion of the trail to avoid the remaining crossings and a snow and ice monorail, and successfully arrived at the trailhead shortly after midnight.

The Last White Mountains Rescue from Mount Washington

He third incident occurred on the afternoon of Saturday, April 18, when Vaughn Webb, 18, and Khang Nguyen, 17, both of Plymouth, Massachusetts, experienced difficulty in harsh conditions atop Mount Washington.

Faced with low air temperatures, strong winds and the forecast of snow, the young people sought refuge from the wind-driven precipitation next to a building. In addition to the bad weather, one of the hikers suffered severe pain in his legs. A 911 call was received at approximately 7:30 p.m., prompting New Hampshire Fish and Game to coordinate with a Mt. Washington State Park and Mt. Washington Auto Road employee.

The State Park employee went out to search, located the couple about a half hour later and took them inside a building to provide first aid to the hiker who was experiencing leg pain. A conservation officer was able to drive a truck down Auto Road and arrived to transport the hikers back about an hour and a half after the first 911 call.

All groups had safely left the mountain by 10:00 p.m.

Similarly, any path to the summit of Mount Washington is exposed, above the tree line and open to the elements. Photo via katie jackson

Spring Hiking Safety

Officials noted that while not all of the rescues were the result of poor planning, the cluster of incidents should remind hikers how volatile New Hampshire’s mountains can be during the shoulder season. Spring in the White Mountains often features a dangerous combination of warm temperatures near trailheads and midwinter conditions at higher elevations.

New Hampshire Fish and Game continues to urge all hikers to carry the 10 essential items, regardless of the forecast. These include a map and compass, headlamp, first aid kit, fire starter, whistle, knife, and extra food and water. Most importantly, officials emphasize the need for proper clothing, including rain and wind layers and warm insulators, to survive sudden changes in mountain weather.

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