Mount Washington

Owen Strommer, 20, of Wakefield, Rhode Island

Strommer was caught in windblown snow about 0.3 miles below the summit with a dying headlamp and cell phone and no backup equipment; the summit temperature was 21°F with a wind chill of 3°F. He picked his way up by cairns until he reached a State Park truck's headlights and was driven to the summit to warm up. Fish and Game said he was 'absolutely unprepared' for above-treeline conditions.

14-year-old female hiker with lower leg injury

On the evening of October 5, 2025, a 14-year-old female hiker injured her lower leg while descending a service trail adjacent to the Cog Railway tracks on Mt. Washington, approximately 2 miles from the Base Station. Conservation Officers responded via ATVs and made contact with the two hikers at approximately 9:45 p.m. Both hikers were transported down the mountain by ATV and arrived safely at the roadside at 10:15 p.m.

Karen Shaffer, 76, of Orange, California

Shaffer suffered a lower-leg injury on the upper Jewell Trail at about 5,000 feet after falling multiple times and could not continue. AVSAR (15 volunteers) and three conservation officers warmed her and her husband, treated her injury, and carried her out by litter, arriving roadside at 12:40 a.m.

Tyler Viruet, 29, of Carver, Massachusetts

Viruet experienced an unknown medical event that left him unable to move; temperatures were around 40°F with wind-driven light rain. His companions and State Park staff assisted him along the Alpine Garden Trail to the Auto Road, where a conservation officer relayed him down; he was evaluated by Gorham Ambulance.

66-year-old male hiker from Houston, TX

On the morning of August 20, 2025, a sick hiker named William Robertson, 66, was found at Hermit Lake Shelter on Mt. Washington experiencing symptoms that made it unsafe to hike out unassisted. Conservation Officers responded with ATVs and transported Robertson down the Sherburne Ski Trail to the AMC Pinkham Notch Visitor Center. He was then taken to Memorial Hospital in North Conway for further evaluation and treatment.

16-year-old male, member of a summer camp group

On July 30, 2025, a 16-year-old boy experienced an anaphylactic reaction after inadvertently consuming an allergen while at the Lake of the Clouds AMC Hut on Mt. Washington. AMC staff administered epinephrine and monitored the patient while Fish and Game coordinated a helicopter response. The DHART helicopter landed at the hut at 5:17 p.m. and transported the patient to Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center by 5:28 p.m.

William Davis, 79, of Jacksonville, Florida

William Davis, 79, of Jacksonville, Florida, rode the Cog Railway to the summit of Mount Washington and was last seen near the observation deck around 3:20 p.m. on July 16, 2025, before wandering off. He briefly reached a state park employee by cellphone reporting he was off-trail but could not describe his location before his phone died. After a three-day NH Fish and Game-led search using helicopters, drones, and ground crews, his body was found around 11 a.m. on July 18 about 400 feet off the Lion Head Trail, between the Alpine Garden and Tuckerman Ravine trails; officials said he had clearly suffered a significant fall from a steep, rocky slope.

79-year-old male from Jacksonville, FL

William Davis, 79, of Jacksonville, FL, wandered off the summit of Mt. Washington after arriving via the Cog Railway and was last seen near the observation deck around 3:20 p.m. on July 16, 2025. Phone contact was briefly made and he appeared to be lost off trail near the summit, but he stopped answering his phone and could not be located despite an overnight search. A second full day of searching by Fish and Game, AVSAR volunteers, and State Park personnel also failed to locate him, and the search was suspended for the night with plans to resume July 18.

Simon Letellier-Julien and Promise Espejo, both of Boucherville, QC Canada

On the evening of July 15, 2025, two hikers became stranded on steep ledges on the Huntington Ravine Trail on Mt. Washington. Technical rescue personnel from AVSAR, MRS, and NH Fish and Game reached the hikers at 9:40 p.m., assisted them with ropes and climbing harnesses, and brought everyone safely to the Mt. Washington Auto Road by 10:47 p.m. The pair had read a trail description beforehand but underestimated the difficulty of the terrain.

Lukas Lamb Wotton, 31, of New Orleans, LA

On the afternoon of July 2, 2025, Lukas Lamb Wotton, 31, free-fell approximately 60 feet while rock climbing in the Pinnacle Buttress area of Huntington Ravine on Mt. Washington, sustaining multiple potentially life-threatening injuries. Bystander hikers alerted nearby climbers who provided first aid, and a NH Army National Guard Blackhawk helicopter hoisted Wotton from the ravine shortly after 3:00 p.m. He was flown to Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, NH, arriving alive.

35-year-old male from Lowell, Massachusetts

Ravikumar Patel, 35, slipped and fell while descending the Tuckerman Ravine Trail approximately 0.4 miles above Hermit Lake on June 23, 2025, sustaining a head injury. An AMC first responder from Hermit Lake assessed him and assisted him back to the hut, where he awaited a Conservation Officer. Patel was transported down to Pinkham Notch Visitor Center via ATV and released to family for further medical care.

43-year-old female hiker from Quebec, Canada

On the evening of June 12, 2025, Nadia Ouellette, 43, was found exhausted and cold on the Jewell Trail approximately 2.5 miles above the Cog Railway Base Station on Mt. Washington. A Conservation Officer and three AVSAR members located her at 11:47 p.m. in temperatures around 33°F with winds gusting over 60 mph. She was given warm clothing and assisted down the trail, arriving safely at the Base Station at approximately 6:15 a.m. on June 13.

29-year-old male from Carignan, QC, Canada

On April 5, 2025, William Tessier, 29, slipped on icy conditions and slid off the Jewell Trail near Mt. Clay while descending Mt. Washington with four companions, striking an object and suffering leg, shoulder, and hypothermia injuries. Rescuers from AVSAR, PEMI SAR, MRS, and Cog Railway personnel reached him at 7:24 p.m. after being transported partway up the mountain by train. He was carried in a litter to the Cog Railway and transported to Littleton Regional Healthcare.

Kathryn McKee, 51, of Fayville, MA, and Beata Lelacheur, 54, of Westborough, MA

The two became stranded in whiteout conditions in chest-deep snow at about 5,000 feet, only 34 feet off the Jewell Trail. A snowcat brought nine rescuers up; crews snowshoed through deep, wind-blown snow and located the pair at 1:50 a.m., set up emergency shelters, and warmed them for an hour. Both were treated for cold-weather injuries; Fish and Game said their gear likely saved their lives.

72-year-old male from Virginia (name withheld pending notification)

A hiker found the man's body on the Gulfside Trail near the West Side Trail junction, about a half-mile below the summit. Fish and Game believes he rode the Cog to the summit on August 21 and then tried to hike down; he was dressed in jeans, a navy blue raincoat, and brown hiking boots, and was not prepared for the conditions. Death attributed to likely environmental exposure pending autopsy.

37-year-old woman from Laval, Quebec

Christine Beaulieu, 37, became stranded off trail in darkness after losing the trail due to lack of a headlamp. She followed the Ellis River downstream, fell in, became soaking wet, lost a shoe, and was stuck on the opposite bank from the Tuckerman Ravine Trail. Rescuers located her around 1:20 a.m. and assisted her back across the river and down to the Pinkham Notch Visitor Center.

Two male hikers from Quebec, Canada

On May 9, 2024, Francois Nadeau and Pierre Nadeau of Quebec, Canada became wet, tired, and unable to continue on Mt. Washington due to deep snow and limited visibility. They called 911 at approximately 5:18 p.m. Three Conservation Officers located the hikers at 10:10 p.m. and escorted them up the Wamsutta Trail to the Auto Road.

Madison Saltsburg, 20, of Dillsburg, PA (University of Vermont junior)

Saltsburg and a partner ascended Left Gully on foot intending to ski; both slipped near the top of The Lip and fell about 600 vertical feet to the ravine floor. Saltsburg died of traumatic injuries; her partner sustained life-threatening injuries, and a third person was critically injured in a separate sliding fall on Hillman's Highway the same afternoon. The snowpack was refrozen and firm; avalanche hazard was LOW that day.

23-year-old male from Georgetown, Kentucky

On March 7, 2024, Joabe Barbosa went off trail into Ammonoosuc Ravine on Mount Washington, fell and struck his head and face, lost a sneaker, and became hypothermic at approximately 3,600 feet elevation. He called 911 and provided GPS coordinates; Conservation Officers and an Androscoggin Valley Search and Rescue EMT located him at 10:29 p.m. He was equipped with boots, warm gear, and a headlamp before being escorted out, and was subsequently transported to Littleton Regional Health Care.

Cole Matthes, 22, of Portsmouth, NH

Matthes fell and was injured off-trail in a drainage ravine at about 4,500 feet on the western slope of Mt. Washington and called 911 with poor reception. A multi-team rescue (11 rescuers) extracted him; Fish and Game stated his choices as an inexperienced solo hiker put many lives at risk and that he would otherwise likely have died.

30-year-old male skier from Bow, NH

Dominick Torro, 30, triggered an avalanche while skiing Airplane Gully in the Great Gulf on Mount Washington on December 9, 2023, sustaining a life-threatening lower-leg injury. Two other skiers on scene provided aid and called 911. Torro was hoisted into a National Guard helicopter at 3:55 p.m. and flown to Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center.

64-year-old male from Methuen, MA, hiking alone with his dog

Michael Harvey, 64, of Methuen, MA, fell while descending Mt. Washington on the Tuckerman Ravine Trail after stepping on an unstable rock, sustaining non-life-threatening injuries. A fellow hiker called 911, and AMC rescuers and Conservation Officers responded, providing medical aid and assisting Harvey out via ATV on the Sherburne Ski Trail. Harvey was assessed at Pinkham Notch and chose to self-transport to the hospital.

57-year-old female hiker from Takoma Park, MD

On September 5, 2023, Alys Cohen, 57, suffered two separate knee injuries while descending the Jewell Trail on Mt. Washington approximately 2/10 of a mile below the Gulfside Trail junction. With assistance from her three hiking companions and a knee brace, she was able to work her way up to the Gulfside Trail junction where rescuers met her. She was ultimately transported down the mountain via a Cog Railway train that stopped to assist.

Phaneendra Uppalapati, 44, and Shirisha Mallala, 41, both of Nashua, NH

During severe weather (steady rain, 58 mph gusts, 29°F wind chill) the pair slowed significantly and were found extremely wet and cold just below the Lion Head Trail junction, about a half-mile below the summit, during a night of multiple back-to-back rescues around Mt. Washington.

47-year-old male from Spring Valley, NY

On August 1, 2023, Aron Israel, 47, rode the Mt. Washington Auto Road to the summit and attempted to hike down alone via the Tuckerman Ravine Trail, where he fell and injured his ankle. He had no food, water, or warm clothing, and the summit temperature was 37°F with wind chills of 28°F and gusts up to 54 mph. AVSAR volunteers and SOLO students responded, packaged Israel in a litter, carried him to the summit, and he was transported by ambulance to Androscoggin Valley Hospital.

58-year-old woman from Attleboro, Massachusetts

Veronica Hagerman, 58, took the Cog Railway to the summit of Mt. Washington with her husband and then attempted to hike down via Crawford Path and the Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail back to their vehicle at the Cog Railway base station. She became dehydrated and ill during the descent, prompting a 911 call at approximately 7:45 p.m. After receiving food and fluids from AMC staff and rescue personnel, she was assisted out to the Cog Railway Base Station at 1:20 a.m. and transported to Littleton Regional Hospital.

John R. Quick Jr., 65, of Missouri (hiking with his dog)

On July 30, 2022, John R. Quick Jr., 65, of Missouri, was found unresponsive with a broken arm and a head gash near the Gulfside Trail junction on the Jewell Trail while descending Mount Washington. Two groups of fellow hikers performed CPR for about 40 minutes after a 911 call around 1:15 p.m., but he was pronounced dead amid temperatures in the 30s, roughly 50 mph winds, and hail. NH Fish and Game-coordinated rescuers, with Androscoggin Valley and Pemi Valley Search and Rescue, carried his body nearly a mile across the Gulfside Trail to the Cog Railway for transport off the mountain.

Jennifer Hughes, 46, of Waltham, MA

Around 1:30 p.m. Friday July 23, 2021, Hughes slipped and fell while descending stone steps on the Lion Head Trail. An AMC Hermit Lake caretaker provided first aid and splinted her leg; she was helped down, taken out by ATV to Pinkham Notch by 5:45 p.m., and transported to Androscoggin Valley Hospital.

Ian Forgays, 54, of Lincoln, Vermont (very experienced backcountry skier)

Forgays was skiing alone in Ammonoosuc Ravine on the western side of Mt. Washington when an avalanche took his life — the first avalanche fatality recorded on that side of the mountain. Conditions were single-digit temperatures with about 33 mph winds, and the avalanche danger had been rated 'low,' though isolated unstable wind-drifted snow remained possible.

Ashley Furness, 35, of Bartlett, NH

Around 4 p.m. Sunday March 22, 2020, Furness slipped while descending alongside the Cog Railway tracks roughly two miles up from the Cog Base Station and fell about 200 feet toward Burt Ravine, striking rocks. Per NHFG, 'it was these rocks that ultimately saved her from plunging into the ravine, a fall that would have likely proven fatal.' Her companion called for help and kept her warm with a space blanket; she was relayed down by the Cog train and ambulance to Littleton Regional Hospital around 11 p.m.

James Clark, 80, of Dublin, Ohio

Clark was left to hike at his own pace while two family members summited and descended a different trail; he was reported overdue at about 7:45 p.m. on June 13, 2019, with no overnight gear, cellphone, or light. Rescuers found him on the Lion Head Trail in a fetal position with hypothermia, warmed him, and carried him about 1.7 miles to the Auto Road by 5 a.m.; he was treated for non-life-threatening injuries.

Sandra Lee, 63, of Mount Tabor, New Jersey

While ascending the Tuckerman Ravine Trail toward the summit on June 13, 2019, Lee showed signs of hypothermia and could no longer move on her own. Per NH Fish and Game, conditions on the summit were 'below freezing with a wind-chill of 12 degrees Fahrenheit, 60 mph sustaining winds while rain and dense fog created ice.' Conservation officers carried her about 0.2 miles to the Auto Road and she was taken by ambulance to Androscoggin Valley Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

Nicholas D. Benedix, 32, of Campton, NH

Benedix was skiing alone in Raymond Cataract (between Tuckerman and Huntington Ravines) when a human-triggered avalanche (about 135 feet wide at the crown) buried him under about five feet of snow for roughly an hour. He was found and dug out (rescuers noted one set of tracks in and none out) but was pronounced dead about 4 p.m. The avalanche danger had been posted as 'moderate.'

Porith Stephon Sou, 21, of Dracut, Massachusetts

Sou was listed missing from March 10, 2019; his vehicle was found at the Pinkham Notch Visitor Center on March 16. Searchers received reports he may have been seen in the Cutler River drainage and on the Auto Road in early March, but an extensive search by Fish and Game, USFS Snow Rangers, Mountain Rescue Service, and AVSAR found no trace, and the search was suspended pending further information.

Jeremy Ullmann, 37, of Somerville, Massachusetts (experienced rock climber but novice ice climber; neuroscientist at Boston Children's Hospital)

Per the Mount Washington Avalanche Center accident analysis, Ullmann 'fell on the steep, icy snow surface on the approach to Central Gully and slid approximately 300 feet' into the boulder field known as the Fan. Snow ranger Frank Carus told NHPR: 'The scratches on the snow indicate that he made an attempt to arrest. He had two ice axes, one of which dragged quite well through the snow for a long distance.' Reported overdue at about 4:45 p.m., his body was found around 7:45 p.m. He was the 160th person to die on Mount Washington per Conway Daily Sun.

Rolf Diamon, 66, of Windham, Maine

Diamon was ascending the Lion Head Trail with his son on the morning of September 16, 2017, when he became ill and collapsed. His son and other hikers performed CPR, and a National Guard Black Hawk hoisted him off the mountain, but he died despite resuscitation efforts.

François Carrier, 47, of Drummondville, Quebec

Carrier was last seen on the Mount Washington Auto Road on May 9, 2016, and reported missing May 12. After an extensive search, passing hikers found his body on May 28 at about 5,300 feet. An autopsy attributed death to environmental hypothermia.

George Kulz, 43, of Cumberland, RI, and party

George Kulz, 43, of Cumberland, RI, and his hiking party reached the summit of Mount Washington after the summit facilities had closed and received inaccurate guidance from other tourists that descending along the Cog Railway was the fastest way down. The group began descending the Cog Railway at 6:45 p.m. and requested assistance, and a NH Fish and Game conservation officer located the party around 1:40 a.m. roughly one mile from the base. The party was assisted to safety and instructed on self-rescue techniques.

25-year-old from Boisbriand, Quebec

Luc Paquette, 25, was descending the Tuckerman Ravine Trail with friends on September 19, 2013 when he stepped off-trail to view a waterfall and fill his water bottle, slipped on wet terrain, and fell roughly 150 feet onto a ledge. Despite an extensive rescue involving a National Guard Black Hawk, he was pronounced dead at Memorial Hospital.

24-year-old medical student from Boise, ID (attending Columbia)

James 'Jimmy' Watts, 24, an experienced mountaineer and former president of the Harvard Mountaineering Club, was solo and unroped ice climbing Pinnacle Gully on March 1, 2013 when he triggered a slab avalanche. Per WMNF spokeswoman Tiffany Benna, the avalanche pushed Watts 1,000 feet down Huntington Ravine. An emergency room physician who was also climbing in the area found him more than 1,000 feet below the gully around 3 p.m. and, per WMNF Lead Snow Ranger Chris Joosen, 'checked for vital signs... but found none.'

group of hikers stranded in Huntington Ravine on Mt. Washington

On February 23, 2013, a group of hikers became stranded in Huntington Ravine on Mt. Washington. Information was forwarded through the AMC to US Forest Service Snow Rangers, who lead SAR operations in that area during winter. The press release also covers unrelated snowmobile incidents in Lancaster, Twin Mountain, and Lake Umbagog.

57-year-old male from Sharon, Massachusetts

Gary Muise, a 57-year-old man from Sharon, Massachusetts, collapsed and died from a medical emergency approximately 2.5 miles from Pinkham Notch Visitors Center on the Tuckerman Ravine Trail on August 13, 2012. He was hiking with his two teenage daughters (ages 15 and 18) when he collapsed; AMC staff and other hikers responded but were unable to resuscitate him. His body was transported down the mountain by NH Fish and Game Conservation Officers, AMC staff, and Mountain Rescue Service volunteers.

15-year-old male from Peabody, Massachusetts

Michael Hery, 15, sustained a leg injury after a fall on the Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail on Mt. Washington on June 25, 2012. He was hiking down with his father and a friend after spending the night at Lakes of the Clouds Hut. A 16-member AMC crew, Mt. Washington State Park staff, and NH Fish and Game conservation officers carried him in a litter approximately 1.5 miles to the summit, where he was transported to Memorial Hospital in North Conway.

67-year-old from Boston, MA

Norman Priebatsch, 67, lost his footing on April 1, 2012 while hiking with his son and fell into an open crevasse leading to an under-snow waterfall in Tuckerman Ravine. His body remained inaccessible under the snow until it was recovered in May 2012 as the snowpack opened.

46-year-old avid hiker from Mansfield, MA

Patrick Scott Powers, 46, summited Mount Washington on January 9, 2012 and then fell roughly 800 feet down icy slopes into Tuckerman Ravine while descending after dark. A caretaker reported seeing a headlamp moving down a cliff at high speed. Rescuers reached him alive but he died of his injuries. Summit conditions at the time were approximately 9°F with winds 40-50 mph and low visibility.

32-year-old male snowboarder from St. Boniface, Quebec Province

Jean-Francois Massicotte, 32, became lost on April 24, 2011 after taking a wrong turn off the top of Tuckerman's Ravine, going south instead of east due to reduced visibility from fog above treeline and ending up in the Oakes Gulf/Dry River Wilderness area. He spent an unplanned night on the mountain in winter conditions. He was found uninjured on April 25 by ground searchers on the Dry River Trail after a NH Army National Guard helicopter tracked his footprints in deep snow for at least six miles.

17-year-old male rock climber from Exeter, NH

Sean McCarthy, 17, fell approximately 150 feet while rock climbing in the Central Gully of Huntington Ravine on Mt. Washington on August 19, 2010, coming to rest about two-thirds up the headwall with multiple serious injuries. His father, also present in the ravine, called 911. McCarthy was carried out by dozens of rescuers and airlifted from Pinkham Notch to Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center.

24-year-old from Forked River, NJ

Christopher Baillie, 24, hiking the Tuckerman Ravine Trail with four friends on July 17, 2010, left the trail to view a waterfall, slipped on wet rocks, and was swept over the headwall — falling an estimated 100 to 200 feet. Per NH Fish and Game Capt. Kevin Jordan, 'he got too close to the edge and the water swept his feet out from under him.'

32-year-old male backcountry skier from Newton, PA

Dalton Harben, age 32, was backcountry skiing in Ammonoosuc Ravine on Mt. Washington when an equipment failure caused him to slide down an icy hillside, striking his knee on small trees and sustaining a serious knee injury. A National Guard helicopter was called in due to the severity of injuries and difficult terrain, and Harben was hoisted from the steep ravine slope. He was flown to Littleton Regional Hospital with a severe but non-life-threatening knee injury.

62-year-old physician from Bedford, NH

Dr. Wieslaw Walczak, 62, an experienced hiker described by his wife as familiar with the area, did not return from a planned Tuckerman Ravine hike and was reported missing the night of November 21, 2009. His body was found the next morning in the steep headwall area. New Hampshire Fish and Game stated everything at the scene was consistent with an unexpected fall.

70-year-old male hiker from Napanee, Ontario, Canada

Peter Shintani, age 70, of Napanee, Ontario, was reported missing in the Mount Washington area as of June 8, 2009. An extensive multi-day ground and air search involving more than 50 rescuers and a National Guard helicopter found no physical evidence or leads as to his whereabouts. The formal ground search was halted on June 18, 2009, with officials stating they would follow up on any credible leads from the public.

17-year-old male, Scott Mason of Halifax, Massachusetts

Scott Mason, a 17-year-old from Halifax, MA, left Pinkham Notch Visitor Center alone on the morning of Saturday April 25, 2009, planning an approximately 18-mile day hike over Mts. Washington, Jefferson, Adams, and Madison. He did not return and a multi-agency search was launched Sunday, hampered by waist-deep snow, avalanche danger, and impassable stream crossings due to rapid snowmelt. As of the April 27 update, 28 searchers were on the ground following a promising set of solo tracks, with no sign of Mason found.

17-year-old male hiker from Halifax, MA

Scott Mason, age 17, departed Pinkham Notch Visitor Center alone intending to complete a 17-mile hike in one day and went missing for three days in April 2009. He sprained his ankle on the first day and attempted a shortcut through the Great Gulf Wilderness, becoming lost. He was located after an extensive multi-day search involving helicopters from Maine and Vermont at a cost of approximately $25,235.

39-year-old from Bartlett, TN (Lewiston, ME native)

Peter Roux, 39, was solo ice climbing in Odell Gully on January 18, 2008 — a day rated 'High' for avalanche danger by the Mount Washington Avalanche Center — when an avalanche, believed to be climber-triggered, carried him down. Reported overdue that evening, his body was found the next morning roughly 400 feet below the gully. The day's posted bulletin stated that natural and human-triggered avalanches were likely and travel was not recommended; Odell Gully sat in the direct lee of wind loading as winds shifted west.

Three male winter hiker/skiers: Rob A. Douglas, 39, of Vershire, VT (fatal fall); John M. Corse III, 38, of Concord, NH (fall, injuries); Collin O'Farrell, 23, of Hanover, NH (uninjured)

On March 7, 2004, three men descended Mount Washington via the Great Gulf Trail to a snowfield on Mount Clay above Spaulding Lake, where they began skiing but stopped due to icy conditions. John Corse, wearing one ski and one crampon, fell approximately 1,500 feet down the snowfield sustaining injuries; Rob Douglas fell to his death while attempting to rescue Corse. Corse was evacuated by National Guard helicopter; Douglas's body was recovered the following day by a Mountain Rescue Society team.

28-year-old from Southbridge, MA

Jason Gaumond, 28, was last seen on January 27, 2004 and reported missing. His body was recovered on January 30, 2004 from the base of Yale Gully in Huntington Ravine after an apparent fall while descending. Summit-area conditions during the window were severe — temperatures around -11°F, sustained winds averaging 75 mph with gusts to 100 mph. The incident was not avalanche-related.

28-year-old male from Southbridge, Massachusetts

Jason Gaumond, 28, was last seen in Milan, NH on the morning of January 27, 2004, and was reported missing the following day. His car was found at Pinkham Notch Visitor Center on January 29, and a search was initiated under extreme conditions (-11°F, winds averaging 75 mph gusting to 100 mph). His body was recovered on January 29 from the base of Yale Gully in Huntington Ravine, an area described as extremely technical terrain during winter; the incident was confirmed as non-avalanche-related.

46-year-old from Springfield, NH (formerly Barre, VT)

In the same November 29, 2002 Tuckerman Ravine avalanche that killed Scott Sandberg, Thomas Burke, 46, was soloing on or above the Lip when the slide carried him roughly 1,000 feet down the headwall. Per the American Alpine Club report, 'Tom Burke, who had just survived a 100-foot fall, was swept away and buried, suffering fatal trauma.' Bystanders dug him out and performed CPR for about 20 minutes without success. The day's posted avalanche danger was 'moderate' — the second-lowest on a five-rating scale.

32-year-old from Arlington, MA

On November 29, 2002 an avalanche swept seven climbers about 1,000 feet down Tuckerman Ravine around 11:30 a.m. Scott Sandberg, 32, was at the base roping up with a partner when the slide hit; he was buried 2-3 feet below the surface and found after a roughly two-hour search. He died of massive head and neck injuries. None of the seven climbers caught in the slide were carrying avalanche transceivers. Forest Service snow rangers had posted a moderate avalanche warning that morning, the second-lowest level on a five-rating scale.

William Callahan, 57, of Meansville, GA

William Callahan, 57, of Meansville, GA, died of cardiac arrest at the summit of Mount Washington on September 29, 2002. Documented only via secondary memorial compilations.

52-year-old psychologist from Sherbrooke, Quebec

Louise Chaput, 52, an experienced solo hiker, set out for a short hike on November 15, 2001 and did not return. Her body was found on November 22, 2001 in the woods roughly 200 feet off the Glen Boulder Trail in Pinkham's Grant, southeast of Mount Washington. The autopsy confirmed she died of multiple stab and incised wounds. Her death was ruled a homicide and remains an open cold case; the New Hampshire Cold Case Unit issued a renewed public appeal for information in December 2025.

Hillary Manion, 22, a ski patroller from Ottawa, Ontario

On June 3, 2001, around 2 p.m., Hillary Manion, 22, a ski patroller from Ottawa, Ontario, was skiing with a group of Canadian ski patrollers and had just dropped into the hourglass-shaped Chute in Tuckerman Ravine on Mount Washington when she fell and tumbled about 500 feet to the bottom, knocked unconscious. She suffered an open skull fracture, was not wearing a helmet, and stopped breathing while rescuers were carrying her down the mountain. Per SKI Magazine, citing the NH Department of Fish and Game.

Ned D. Green, 26, of Warwick, MA (Harvard Mountaineering Club cabin caretaker)

On February 18, 2001, Ned D. Green, 26, of Warwick, Massachusetts, the caretaker of the Harvard Mountaineering Club cabin below Huntington Ravine, died while ice climbing Damnation Gully on Mount Washington. His partner, soloing above him, struck an ice tool that ruptured an ice dam, releasing ice and water onto Green. He fell roughly 600 feet down the gully and died of his injuries.

David McPhedran, 42, of Kents Hill, ME; high school teacher and experienced backcountry skier

On February 20, 2000, around 1 p.m., McPhedran and companion Aimee Reiter were climbing a gully in the Gulf of Slides on Mount Washington to ski it when an avalanche released above and swept them down. Reiter was buried to the waist, freed herself, and dug out McPhedran, who was buried face-down, but could not revive him. Another party reported the accident to an AMC visitor center.

44-year-old from Meriden, CT

John Gringas, 44, died of cardiac arrest at the summit of Mount Washington in May 1999.

29-year-old from Danbury, CT

Stephen Carmody, 29, died after a fall in wet conditions on the Tuckerman Ravine Trail in September 1997.

35-year-old backcountry skier

John Wald, 35, was killed alongside his skiing partner Todd Crumbaker in a single avalanche in the Gulf of Slides on March 24, 1996.

35-year-old backcountry skier

Todd E. Crumbaker, 35, was killed alongside his skiing partner John Wald in a single avalanche in the Gulf of Slides on March 24, 1996.

50-year-old from Waterville, ME

Robert Vandel, 50, died in a ~1,000-foot fall while climbing in Huntington Ravine in March 1996.

48-year-old from Haverhill, MA

Donald Cote, 48, died in a ~350-foot fall from atop Lion Head on Mount Washington in February 1996.

19-year-old from Bécancour, QC

Alexandre Cassan, 19, was one of four hikers who lost the (recently closed) Old Lion Head Winter Route into avalanche terrain on January 5, 1996, after passing closure and warning signs. He was killed by the resulting slide.

31-year-old from Pittsfield, VT

Christopher Schneider, 31, died after a skiing fall in Tuckerman Ravine in March 1995.

63-year-old from Grantham, NH

Ronald Hastings, 63, died of cardiac arrest at the summit of Mount Washington in October 1994.

25-year-old from Portland, ME

Sarah Nicholson, 25, was killed by falling ice in Tuckerman Ravine in June 1994.

21-year-old from Hewlett, NY

Cheryl Weingarten, 21, died after falling into a snow crevasse on the Tuckerman Ravine Headwall on May 1, 1994. Her body was recovered by an NH Fish and Game diver lowered into the crevasse — a case later central to a (dismissed) lawsuit against the U.S. Forest Service.

40-year-old community college music professor from South Orange, NJ

Monroe Couper, 40, and his partner Eric Lattey left the Harvard Cabin late on February 26, 1994 (returning for a forgotten rope) to climb Pinnacle Gully. Last seen high on the route at ~5 p.m., they were stopped by 90+ mph winds and -18°F cold. Without sleeping bags or food (only a stove), they died of hypothermia in an emergency bivouac at the edge of the Alpine Garden; bodies found February 28.

28-year-old from River Vale, NJ

Eric Lattey, 28, and his partner Monroe Couper left the Harvard Cabin late on February 26, 1994 (returning for a forgotten rope) to climb Pinnacle Gully. Last seen high on the route at ~5 p.m., they were stopped by 90+ mph winds and -18°F cold. Without sleeping bags or food (only a stove), they died of hypothermia in an emergency bivouac at the edge of the Alpine Garden; bodies found February 28.

65-year-old from Efland, NC

George Rimini, 65, died of a heart attack at the Lion Head / Alpine Garden junction on Mount Washington in August 1992.

46-year-old from Rochester, NH

Louis Nicholas, 46, died of exposure while descending from the summit of Mount Washington in January 1992.

41-year-old from Montpelier, VT

Thomas Smith, 41, was killed by an avalanche at the top of Odell's Gully in Huntington Ravine on February 24, 1991, suffering a 2,000-foot fall. His climbing companion survived.

39-year-old from Manchester, NH

Edwin B. Costa, 39, died after a skiing fall in Second Gully on the Great Gulf Headwall in June 1990.

53-year-old from Bridgton, ME

Robert Jones, 53, died of a heart attack in Tuckerman Ravine in April 1986.

88-year-old from Burlington, VT

Ernest Heinsoth, 88, died of a heart attack at the summit of Mount Washington in August 1984.

19-year-old from Boston, MA

Mark Brockman, 19, died after a sliding fall on the icy summit cone of Mount Washington on March 27, 1983 — three days after a separate sliding-fall death in the same conditions (Kenneth Hokenson).

23-year-old from Scotia, NY

Kenneth Hokenson, 23, died after a sliding fall on the icy summit cone of Mount Washington in March 1983. A separate sliding-fall death of Mark Brockman occurred three days later in similar conditions.

21-year-old from Westbury, NY

Edward Aalbue, 21, died after a fall while scrambling in Huntington Ravine on New Year's Day 1983.

47-year-old from Shelburne, VT

John Fox, 47, died of a stroke in Tuckerman Ravine in May 1982.

25-year-old from CT

Kathy Hamann, 25, died of head injuries after a climbing fall in Connection Gully, Tuckerman Ravine, in March 1982.

28-year-old Mountain Rescue Service volunteer from Tuftonboro, NH

Albert Dow, 28, a volunteer with Mountain Rescue Service, was killed by an avalanche while searching for two lost ice climbers (Hugh Herr and Jeffrey Batzer) on January 25, 1982. After topping out of Odell's Gully, he and partner Michael Hartrich (who survived) followed tracks and crossed below treeline into avalanche terrain near Lion Head. He remains the first and only backcountry SAR volunteer killed in the line of duty in the White Mountains. His death led to workers' compensation and life insurance coverage for NH Fish and Game volunteers, and to broader avalanche-beacon adoption among rescuers.

73-year-old from Wellsville, NY

Myles Coman, 73, died of a stroke at the summit of Mount Washington in August 1981.

18-year-old from Thomaston, CT

Peter Friedman, 18, died after a fall while ice climbing in Odell Gully, Huntington Ravine, on New Year's Eve 1980.

43-year-old from Boston, MA

James Dowd, 43, died of a heart attack on the Tuckerman Ravine Trail in October 1980.

16-year-old from Newton, MA

Charles Labonte, 16, died after a fall off the Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail into a brook in October 1980.

24-year-old from Hartford, CT

Patrick Kelly, 24, died after a fall while scrambling off-trail on the Headwall of Tuckerman Ravine in August 1980.

26-year-old from Melrose, MA

Paul Flanigan, 26, died in Huntington Ravine alongside his partner David Shoemaker during a severe winter storm on February 14, 1979. Cause of death involved a fall compounded by hypothermia.

21-year-old from Lexington, MA

David Shoemaker, 21, died in Huntington Ravine alongside his partner Paul Flanigan during a severe winter storm on February 14, 1979. Cause of death involved a fall compounded by hypothermia.

22-year-old from Kalamazoo, MI

Robert Evans, 22, died after a fall on the Headwall of Tuckerman Ravine in July 1976.

25-year-old from Speigeltown, NY

Scott Whinnery, 25, died after a fall on Hillman's Highway in Tuckerman Ravine in May 1976.

24-year-old from Wolfeboro, NH

Marguerite Snyder Cassidy, 24, died in a fall during a Huntington Ravine descent in March 1976. The American Alpine Club's accident report documents the party's descent route and the circumstances of the fall.

80-year-old from MA

Clayton Rock, 80, died of a heart attack near the Lakes of the Clouds Hut on Mount Washington in October 1975.

37-year-old from Ann Arbor, MI

Karl Brushaber, 37, died of a skull fracture after a fall in Tuckerman Ravine on Christmas Eve 1974.

16-year-old from Bedford, NH

Peter Winn, 16, died of head injuries after a skiing fall in Left Gully, Tuckerman Ravine, in April 1973.

21-year-old from Greenwich, CT

Christopher Coyne, 21, died after falling into a snow crevasse in Tuckerman Ravine in May 1972.

18-year-old from Wayland, MA

Geoffrey Bowdoin, 18, drowned in the Dry River in October 1971.

16-year-old from Newton, MA

Betsy Roberts, 16, drowned crossing the Dry River during Tropical Storm Doria in August 1971.

46-year-old from West Acton, MA

Barbara Palmer, 46, died of exposure while hiking in deep snow near the Cog Railway base station on Mount Washington in April 1971.

26-year-old from Framingham, MA

Richard Fitzgerald, 26, died of head injuries after a fall in Huntington Ravine in October 1969.

24-year-old climber

Charles Yoder, 24, was killed in a climbing accident in Yale Gully in Huntington Ravine on January 26, 1969, alongside his partners Scott Stevens and Robert Ellenberg. All three died in the same fall.

19-year-old climber

Robert Ellenberg, 19, was killed in a climbing accident in Yale Gully in Huntington Ravine on January 26, 1969, alongside his partners Scott Stevens and Charles Yoder. All three died in the same fall.

19-year-old climber

Scott Stevens, 19, was killed in a climbing accident in Yale Gully in Huntington Ravine on January 26, 1969, alongside his partners Robert Ellenberg and Charles Yoder. All three died in the same fall.

31-year-old astrophysicist, former Harvard Mountaineering Club president

Craig M. Merrihue, 31, an astrophysicist and former Harvard Mountaineering Club president, fell approximately 1,400 feet from the fourth pitch of Pinnacle Gully while ice climbing on March 14, 1965 with his partner Daniel Doody. The short ice screw protecting the lead pulled out and both died, still roped together.

31-year-old filmmaker (1963 American Everest expedition)

Daniel E. Doody, 31, a filmmaker who had been on the 1963 American Mount Everest expedition, fell approximately 1,400 feet from the fourth pitch of Pinnacle Gully while ice climbing on March 14, 1965 with his partner Craig Merrihue. The short ice screw protecting the lead pulled out and both died, still roped together.

38-year-old from Spencer, MA

Remi J. Bourdages, 38, died of a heart attack in Tuckerman Ravine in May 1964.

39-year-old from Hanover, MA

John Griffin, 39, was killed by an avalanche while climbing in Huntington Ravine with his partner Hugo Stadtmueller on April 4, 1964.

28-year-old from Cambridge, MA

Hugo Stadtmueller, 28, was killed by an avalanche while climbing in Huntington Ravine with his partner John Griffin on April 4, 1964.

67-year-old from Melrose, MA

Alfred Dickinson, 67, died of exposure on Nelson Crag on Mount Washington in September 1962.

44-year-old from Springfield, MA

Anthony Amico, 44, died of a heart attack at the top of Tuckerman Ravine in August 1959.

17-year-old from Dorchester, MA

Judy March, 17, died of exposure on the Crawford Path about a quarter mile below the summit of Mount Washington in July 1958 alongside her companion Paul Zanet.

24-year-old from Dorchester, MA

Paul Zanet, 24, died of exposure on the Crawford Path about a quarter mile below the summit of Mount Washington in July 1958 alongside his companion Judy March.

28-year-old from Montreal, QC

William Brigham, 28, was killed by falling ice in Tuckerman Ravine in May 1958.

28-year-old from Boston, MA

A. Aaron Leve, 28, was hiking with four others in Tuckerman Ravine on February 19, 1956 when an avalanche fully buried him. He did not survive.

23-year-old from Cambridge, MA, no prior mountain experience

Jacques Parysko, 23, survived the avalanche that destroyed the igloo he and Philip Longnecker had built at the foot of the Tuckerman Ravine headwall on January 31, 1954. Improperly dressed for the conditions, he fled down the Sherburne Ski Trail and died of exposure near the Harvard cabin, having passed three emergency telephones and two first-aid caches en route.

25-year-old trip leader from Toledo, OH

Philip Longnecker, 25, and his partner Jacques Parysko built an igloo at the foot of the Tuckerman Ravine headwall against the advice of others on January 31, 1954. An avalanche collapsed the igloo overnight, killing Longnecker in the slide. Their deaths are the first recorded avalanche-related fatalities on Mount Washington.

50-year-old from Sharon, MA (heart condition)

Raymond W. Davis, 50, died of a cardiac event compounded by exposure above the Tuckerman Ravine Headwall in August 1952.

Skier with fractured skull

Tor Staver fell while skiing the John Sherburne Ski Trail on February 2, 1952, fracturing his skull. He died in a Boston hospital on February 5, 1952.

From Cambridge, MA

Paul H. Schiller died after a skiing fall on the Headwall of Tuckerman Ravine in May 1949.

16-year-old from Kingfield, ME

Phyllis Wilbur, 16, was injured in a skiing fall in Tuckerman Ravine on May 31, 1948 and died from her injuries at North Conway Hospital on June 3, 1948.

Springfield, MA

John Neal died after a skiing fall on the Little Headwall of Tuckerman Ravine in April 1943 — the first recorded skiing-related death in Tuckerman.

19-year-old from Short Hills, NJ

Edwin P. McIntire Jr., 19, fell into a snow crevasse in Tuckerman Ravine in June 1940 — the first recorded crevasse-fall death in the ravine.

24-year-old from Williamstown, MA

Grace M. Sturgess, 24, was killed by falling ice in Tuckerman Ravine in May 1936.

19-year-old from New York City

John W. Fowler, 19, died after a 900-foot sliding fall down the icy east side of the Mount Washington summit cone in April 1936.

17-year-old from Springfield, VT

Jerome R. Pierce, 17, drowned in the Peabody River in the Great Gulf drainage in September 1934.

21-year-old from Brookline, MA

Rupert Marden, 21, died of exposure on Mount Washington in November 1933 after climbing in a snowstorm.

19-year-old from Brookline, MA

Simon Joseph, 19, died of exposure on the Crawford Path near Lakes of the Clouds in June 1933.

22-year-old, winter ascent partner

Joseph B. Chadwick, 22, froze to death along with his partner Ernest W. McAdams during a winter ascent of Mount Washington in January 1932. Both died in the same storm near the Lizzie Bourne monument.

22-year-old, winter ascent partner

Ernest W. McAdams, 22, froze to death along with his partner Joseph B. Chadwick during a winter ascent of Mount Washington in January 1932. Both died in the same storm near the Lizzie Bourne monument.

From Cambridge, MA

Henry B. Bigelow Jr. was killed by a falling stone while rock climbing in Huntington Ravine in September 1931.

From Brooklyn, NY

Oysten Kladstad drowned in the Dry River drainage of Oakes Gulf on a fishing trip in July 1929.

18-year-old from Salem, MO

Herbert J. Young, 18, died of exposure on the Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail in December 1928 after ascending through Tuckerman Ravine.

18-year-old surveyor from Charlestown, MA

John M. Keenan, 18, disappeared on the summit cone of Mount Washington in September 1912 and was never found.

29-year-old, first WMNF trip

Allan Ormsbee, 29, pressed on with his more experienced partner William B. Curtis into a June gale while hiking up to the AMC summit meeting on Mount Washington. Ormsbee died a few hundred feet below the summit. The deaths prompted the Lakes of the Clouds shelter the following year (1901).

63-year-old from New York, founder of the Fresh Air Club and a prominent figure in American amateur athletics

William B. Curtis and his companion Allan Ormsbee pressed on into a June gale while hiking up to the AMC's summit meeting on Mount Washington. Curtis, 63, collapsed near the present-day Lakes of the Clouds. The deaths prompted the construction of the Lakes of the Clouds shelter the following year (1901).

24-year-old from Berlin, Germany

Ewald Weiss left the Summit House intending to walk across the northern Presidentials to Mount Adams in August 1890. He was never found.

15-year-old from Dorchester, MA

Sewall E. Faunce, 15, was killed by a collapsing snow arch in Tuckerman Ravine in July 1886. The earliest recorded death associated with Tuckerman Ravine.

21-year-old from Pittsburgh, PA

Harry W. Hunter died of exposure on Mount Washington in September 1874. His remains were not located until six years later.

U.S. Signal Service weather observer

Pvt. William Stevens, stationed at the year-round U.S. Signal Service weather observatory on the summit of Mount Washington, died of natural causes while on duty in February 1872.

Glen House proprietor

J.M. Thompson, proprietor of the Glen House, drowned in the flooded Peabody River near the eastern base of Mount Washington.

75-year-old from Wilmington, DE

Benjamin Chandler, 75, died of exposure on Mount Washington in August 1856.

23-year-old from Kennebunk, ME (history of heart condition)

Lizzie Bourne, the first recorded female fatality on Mount Washington. She left the Halfway House on the Glen House Bridle Path late in the day despite worsening weather and died of exposure a few hundred feet from the Tip-Top House at the summit.

29-year-old Englishman from Bridlington

The first recorded death on Mount Washington. Frederick Strickland reached the summit in early-winter October conditions but lost his way descending the west side, dying of exposure below treeline near where the Jewell Trail now crosses Clay Brook.

Vicki Mercier

In May 2001 (exact date not documented), Vicki Mercier slid into a crevasse in Tuckerman Ravine on Mount Washington, falling nearly 20 feet. Rescuers pulled her out with a harness and she walked away with only a minor injury. This was the second Tuckerman crevasse rescue of spring 2001.

Jonathan Lee, 27, and Jessamin Ming-Kay Ng, 24, Harvard graduate students

In April 2001 (exact date not documented), Harvard graduate students Jonathan Lee, 27, and Jessamin Ming-Kay Ng, 24, were glissading down the Tuckerman Ravine headwall on Mount Washington when they dropped about 25 feet into a crevasse. A rescue team spent most of the night hauling them out and lowering them down the mountain. Lee suffered a ruptured spleen, damaged liver, and fractured ribs; Ng fractured her pelvis and both ankles.

Berlin, NH

Elmer Lyman froze to death in April 1928 while walking the then-unplowed Pinkham Notch road in winter conditions.

Woodsman running trap lines

Harriman, a woodsman, drowned in Jefferson Brook in the northern Whites during a flood in November 1927 while running his trap lines.