Hiker Dies on Lafayette in NH

[celt]

Two Massachusetts hikers , reported overdue on Monday, were evacuated from Mount Lafayette today around 10am. A man was able to walk to a waiting ambulance and he is being treated for hypothermia in a nearby hospital. A woman, found unconscious and in advanced stages of hypothermia was pronounced dead at Littleton Regional Hospital.

complete story at: http://wildlife.state.nh.us/Newsroom/News_2004/News_2004_Q1/Lafayette_update_032304.htm

[Frosty]

I saw the helicopter on Monday. I was on the Cannon/Kinsman side of the notch. I had no idea what was going on, and thought it was a new pilot training or something. It wasn't until I came out this morning and saw a newspaper that I fouknd out it was a real SAR. I did the Kinsmans on Tuesday, but didn't hear the helicopter. I understand that they were found by about 10:00 am on Tuesday, and I probably hadn't climbed high up enough by then to see over the lip of the Lonesome Lake ridge.

It was very cold Monday night. Negative single digits at Lonesome Lake. I cannot imagine how cold they must have been after two unplanned nights out.

It's very sad that the woman died. I don't know the particulars, but in the Whites in the winter, even if you do everything right, sometimes you just run out of luck. I know the weather changed on SUnday between morning and afternoon, from sunny to blizzard whiteout conditions, and that the temps plummeted Monday night.

Tom

[wilconow]

boston globe article (http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2004/03/24/pair_stranded_in_mountain_found_but_wife_later_die s/)