Two Hikers Rescued from Mount Washington After Eight-Hour Ordeal in Whiteout Conditions
Two women from Massachusetts made it through a tough eight-hour rescue on Mount Washington. The hikers got stuck in whiteout conditions and struggled through chest-deep snow last Sunday night.
At 6 p.m., stranded at 5,000 feet on Jewell Trail, they called 911. Heavy snow and strong winds made it impossible to talk them back down by phone.
Rescue teams began their effort at 8:30 p.m. Fighting through harsh conditions, they made their way to the summit around midnight. The weather got worse – temperatures plunged to -2 degrees while winds howled at 60 mph.
At 2 a.m., teams from NH Fish and Game and Mountain Rescue located the women. Both showed signs of hypothermia, and medics took one to Littleton Regional Hospital.
Before calling for help, the women, ages 51 and 54, were stuck for two hours in snow-filled tree wells. The wind had covered all trail markers, leaving rescuers to depend on GPS tracking to find them.
Their Hike Safe cards paid for the rescue costs. Good quality winter gear helped them survive the brutal conditions until rescuers reached them.
Mount Washington’s cold spell isn’t letting up – the mountain hasn’t reached above-freezing temperatures this February. Weather forecasters predict more snow and extreme cold will hit the peak through mid-month.
