Overview
- On Friday night, June 19, New Hampshire Fish and Game responded to reports of two 19-year-old hikers near the summit of Mount Lafayette who were wet, cold and suffering hypothermia, with one hiker unresponsive.
- Appalachian Mountain Club Greenleaf Hut crew located the pair and Pemigewasset Valley and Lakes Region search-and-rescue teams conducted a technical, hours-long carry of the unresponsive hiker to the hut.
- During the main rescue a volunteer responder suffered a serious injury and required evacuation, highlighting the physical risks volunteers face during lengthy backcountry operations.
- A second hiking party about a mile from the trailhead was found soaked and showing early hypothermia; rescuers gave them headlamps and dry layers and escorted them safely down.
- Officials said crews warmed the hypothermic hikers at Greenleaf Hut, the unresponsive hiker regained consciousness, the group was later taken to Littleton Regional Hospital, and agencies urged hikers to carry the ten essentials and check the Mount Washington Observatory higher-summit forecast because summit conditions can differ sharply from valley weather.