Rescue — Bond Cliff, May 4, 2014
75-year-old male hiker from Falmouth, Maine
David Humphrey, age 75, set out on May 4, 2014 from Crawford Notch intending to hike 21 miles over multiple 4,000-foot summits in a single day, equipped only for a day hike with no overnight gear. He encountered up to two feet of snow, ice, and rain, became wet, cold, and fatigued, and called 911 at 9:30 p.m. after being stranded on Bond Cliff summit overnight. He was rescued by Conservation Officers and a U.S. Army National Guard helicopter on May 5 and suffered symptoms of hypothermia.
What we can learn
Fish and Game urged spring hikers to be patient and cautious before venturing into high elevations, to be fully prepared with sufficient food, equipment, clothing and overnight gear, and to heed weather reports and check summit conditions through AMC, local weather stations, and the Mount Washington Observatory.
Contributing factors