Sargents Purchase: During the overnight hours of February 2 and 3, 2025, multiple agencies and Search and Rescue Teams worked together to rescue two hikers who had become stranded in whiteout conditions on the upper reaches of Mt. Washington.

Shortly after 6 PM on the evening of February 2, NH Fish and Game was contacted after 911 received a call about hikers lost off trail adjacent to the Jewell Trail on Mt. Washington. Authorities quickly learned that Kathryn McKee, 51, of Fayville, Massachusetts and Beata Lelacheur, 54, of Westborough, Massachusetts were stuck in very deep snow at about 5000 feet of elevation on Mt. Washington. After plotting GPS coordinates provided by 911, it was determined the two were only 34 feet from the trail. A Conservation Officer was able to speak to them via cell phone and directed them towards the trail.

Over the next two hours, McKee and Lelacheur fought through chest-deep snow and “spruce traps” (holes created in the snow underneath trees) to try to regain the trail. They ended up on the trail several times but could not follow it as it had been completely erased by wind and snow. After multiple attempts and calls with Fish and Game, the two needed to huddle up in the snow to keep warm and await assistance.

By 8:30 PM, Fish and Game began to conduct a full blown rescue operation. At the time, weather conditions at the summit of Mt. Washington had temperatures of -2 degrees and sustained winds at 50-60 mph, gusting significantly higher. Mt. Washington State Park was contacted and readied their snow cat to bring rescuers to the summit. Personnel from Mountain Rescue Service (MRS) and members of the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department Advanced Search and Rescue Team were called upon to respond to the mountain and attempt the rescue.

By 10:30 PM rescuers were arriving at the Mount Washington Auto Road and preparing gear.

The State Park snow cat started up the mountain at 11:00 PM with 9 highly skilled rescuers and arrived at the summit just before midnight. Crews bailed out into whiteout conditions and snow shoed through deep, wind-blown snow toward the top end of the Jewell Trail below the summit of Mt. Clay. By 1:20 AM crews were approaching the last known location of the two hikers but had not yet made contact. The only way to locate the trail was through GPS navigation, and the going was slow due to the tremendous effort required to break trail in the deep snow.

At 1:50 AM rescue crews successfully located the two hikers. Both were alive and coherent but suffering from cold weather injuries. Crews immediately set up emergency shelters and began to warm both hikers. The warming process took an hour, but by approximately 3:00 AM the hikers had been brought back to a point of being able to move on their own. Once everyone was up and moving, crews continued down the Jewell Trail toward the Base Station of the Cog Railway.

At approximately 4:15 AM the rescue party, along with the hikers, safely reached the Base Station of the Cog Railway. Once here, both hikers were evaluated by staff of the Twin Mountain Ambulance. One of the hikers was ultimately transported via ambulance to Littleton Regional Hospital for further evaluation and treatment of cold weather injuries. Authorities then worked with the Twin Mountain Fire Department and State Police Troop F to get transportation for the rescuers back around Mt. Washington to retrieve their vehicles. Personnel finally cleared this mission just after 7:00 AM.

Both hikers were found to be prepared with a variety of gear. In addition, both possessed HikeSafe cards (voluntary hiker insurance) and both were extremely grateful for the efforts put forth on their behalf.

This incident is perfect example of the need to prepare for the unexpected. Both hikers were prepared and had winter hiking experience, but ultimately encountered unforeseen conditions. Had they not had the amount of gear with them that they did, it is unlikely that they would have survived until rescuers reached them. Although technology and experience is certainly helping to find people more quickly, the fact remains that Mother Nature has the final say, and preparedness, above all, is the difference between life and death in the mountains of New Hampshire.

NH Fish and Game would like to once again thank the many men and women who made this rescue a success. They included personnel from Mount Washington State Park, Mountain Rescue Service, Twin Mountain Fire and Rescue and New Hampshire State Police Troop F Dispatch.

Ever wonder when a summit or hiking destination is most popular? I added an Interest graph to TrailsNH. It shows the rank for each month from 1 to 10, based on how many hikers looked up the destination over the last 12 months. A higher rank indicates more hikers checked trail conditions and weather forecasts for that destination when planning their hikes.

Can you use that? Is it helpful or not? Please reply and let me know what you think.

The graph is on every summit page for any peak on a hiking list, starting today. Graphs on the rest of the summits will be rolling out over the next few days and weeks.

Example pages:
https://trailsnh.com/hike/n/2432687944/Mount-Washington-NH

https://trailsnh.com/hike/n/357730203/Mount-Jefferson-NH

Interest In Mount Washington NH

Very long shot but I'm hopeful someone stumbles across it!!

We walked from the basin out along the Pemi trail up to the junction with Cascade Brook trail. Somewhere on the 2nd half of the Pemi, we dropped a dark blue down quilt in a stuff sack. We turned back at the junction and realized then it was missing. Didn't find it despite many eyes looking.

There had been another hiker behind us who turned around before we did. We're really hoping they picked it up. It wasn't at the Basin trail junction or parking lot but maybe it'll turn up somewhere!!

If you find it, please please let me know 🥺 message me or I made an email too lost.quilt.on.pemi.trail@gmail.com

Not sure if this is the right sub to be posting, I am looking to buy a used set of crampons. DM if you are willing to part ways with a set!

I went there on an overnight field trip back in 6th grade in September of 2022. Let’s assume I’m going with four people (including me), how much would it cost in case I want to go back there with my family sometime?

I'm planning to go to the White Mountains this summer and am working on my trip itinerary. Which option do you think I should choose? Hike the Presidential Traverse in two to three days, staying in the huts, or stay at Lake of the Clouds and head down into the Great Gulf Wilderness the following morning? I've heard that after Mount Eisenhower, the Presidential Traverse scenery diminishes, so I'm considering rerouting into the Great Gulf for a different perspective of the range and its rivers.

Day One: Depart from NJ early morning (eight-hour drive). Upon arrival, hike the Valley Way Trail to Madison Hut, arriving in time for dinner.

Day Two: Madison Hut to Lakes of the Clouds.

Day Three: Lakes of the Clouds to Mizpah.

Day Four: Mizpah to the trail's end at Crawford Station; take a shuttle back to my car and return home.

Or...

Day Three: From Lake of the Clouds, return to Mount Washington and take the Great Gulf Trail to end my adventure.

I'm planning doing Pierce tomorrow, and am getting some very conflicting forecast info. Mountain-forecast.com shows 5 mph winds at summit in the afternoon. But the weather.gov point forecast for near the summit shows 20+ mph. Anyone have a sense of which I should trust more (and of course I realize I should plan for worse-than-expected conditions regardless).

I know what I'd use in a tent. I remember the hut being warmer than a tent, but my memory is a little fuzzy on how much. The site recommends "zero to twenty F", but I don't know how true that is at -10F

I need both of these for my 48, I figure I might as well get one of the solo's done in the winter, Any recommendation on which one and which trail? I'm relatively fast, 11 hour Pemi 7 hour Presi.

Hi everyone. I was wondering what people use for maps. I have the far-out app, but I was looking for a physical map for route planning. I was looking at nat geo, AMC map, or the AMC guidebook. Which map is better, and is the guidebook even worth it? Experienced in hiking and am tech-savvy, so I feel as if most of the info in the book will be repetitive.

I'm debating what day to do Moosilauke, or possibly Pierce, this week.

Tomorrow and Saturday are both forecast to be sunny but quite windy, with summit wind chills in the -30s.

Friday looks to be cloudy, much warmer, and much calmer, with summit wind chills in the +10s.

My sense is Friday is a better bet - I have enough gear to survive, but I'd imagine even below the summit, and even in the more-protected Pierce, it'll just be unpleasant with those winds. But I've never done either, so I'd welcome more informed opinions here.

I assume views will be minimal Friday, but I'll still get the experience of a winter wonderland, which is really what I'm looking for.

What temperature rating sleeping bags would suffice if I am looking to camp at Hancock campsite in the next 2 weeks or so? I am deciding if my 0F sleeping bag will suffice or should I even layer my other sleeping bags with it. Thank you in advance!

My favorite is u/RachelWhelton .....I love that she goes solo, and is actually quite introverted. She is an excellent videographer and photographer and shares information about flora and fauna. She shares her vulnerable moments and happy times.....and always enjoys the food she brings. Oh and she does day hikes, backpacking, and occasionally other things like kayaking and backcountry skiing. Highly recommend!

I'm planning on going either Thursday (sunny but cold and quite window) or Friday (cloudy but much warmer and calmer). Saturday could also be a possibility (cold and relatively calm) but I'm guessing there will be significantly more people on the trail, and I'd prefer solitude.

I'm open to any hikes within roughly 2:30 of Boston, but the two leading contenders are Pierce and Moosilauke. It seems the latter is much more exposed the latter part of the hike, so if I were going on the windy day, I wouldn't choose that one. Beyond that, any significant pros/cons? I have snowshoes, spikes, and appropriate cold weather gear.

I have done 2-3 hikes during summer. My highest hike was Cascade mountain in Adirondack mountains. That had an elevation gain of 1900ft and 4080ft in total.

I can climb pretty good. I want to do a winter hike around that range.

Here are the few options that I shortlisted:

1. Mount Crawford via Davis path trail
2. Crawford notch trail
3. Mount Jackson

Do you think it's a good idea to start winter hike with these? I am open to suggestions of other hikes as well. Let me know guys, thank you 😄

Hi All, I have the OR Gore-Tex gaiters and have used them on my first few winter hikes this year. While they are waterproof and very warm, my legs get incredibly sweaty and so do my shoes. They dont breathe at all. When I take them off after the hike, there is so much frost underneath and on my pants and my socks are soaked. Id like to minimize the moisture when hiking in below freezing temps, but not sure if this is normal, or if there is a solution or if this is just the way it is. Anyone experience something similar and what do you do about it?

I am well versed in fair weather hiking. I have only done smaller mountains (i.e. Mount Willard) in the winter. I have stuck to well packed trails and gotten away with only needing microspikes. I have a cheap ass pair of snowshoes … so cheap they don’t have a heel lift.

I plan on attempting Tom/Field/Willey next weekend IF the trail reports say little to no snowshoes needed.

My question … is that an insane idea?

I had attempted this exact hike two years ago in summer but had to bail before hitting Willey … I would like to not repeat that mistake if possible.

I am nervous that if there is a section I need the shoes on (AllTrails says it could be needed between field and willey) and I go to use my shitty shoes I’m in for a world of hurt.

I bought a pair of crampons and ice axes and would like to find a place in Massachusetts where I can practice self-arrest techniques. I'm looking to build the experience and confidence needed to use them safely in the White Mountain National Forest (WMNF). Do you have any suggestions?