Overview
- Four 18-year-old hikers from New Jersey were found on Franconia Ridge after attempting a long ridge hike late in the day without headlamps, enough food or water, or warm clothing.
- Rescue crews reached the group after an overnight search that involved a Pemi Valley Search and Rescue team hiking more than 4.2 miles to Mount Lincoln and locating the hikers nearly three hours into the response.
- Responders treated one hiker who reported breathing difficulty and sore legs, provided lights, food, water and warm clothing on site, and escorted the group back to the trailhead the next morning with no major injuries reported.
- Fish and Game announced it will bill the four identified hikers—Jainam Bhavsar, Purva Jayani, Tirth Shah, and Advik Yadav—citing the department’s practice of charging for rescues deemed negligent.
- New Hampshire is one of the few states that can charge for negligent rescues, and officials say the agency runs about 180–200 rescues a year and typically issues bills in roughly a dozen cases, a practice that highlights resource strains and the need for proper hiker preparation.