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Missing Massachusetts Hiker, 61, Found Dead on Remote New Hampshire Trail

The case highlights lingering winter conditions at higher elevations that call for full cold‑weather gear.

Overview

  • Searchers found Kent Wood Tuesday evening about 5.5 miles from his car on the Kinsman Pond Trail in Franconia Notch.
  • Wood traveled to Lafayette Campground on Friday to camp, then set out to hike Saturday morning before contact stopped that afternoon.
  • Relatives reported him overdue after two days without contact, prompting a search Tuesday morning in the Lonesome Lake and Kinsman Pond area.
  • New Hampshire Fish and Game, PEMI Valley Search and Rescue, and an Army National Guard helicopter led the effort, and crews carried him out overnight, reaching the trailhead shortly after 1 a.m. Wednesday.
  • Officials said he prepared for warm weather but met 3 to 5 inches of fresh snow, and they warned that six other Massachusetts hikers needed rescue in recent days as spring trails kept winter conditions.