Rescue — Lincoln Brook Trail, Jul 25, 2025
48-year-old female hiker from Gilbert, South Carolina
On July 25, 2025, Stephanie Latchford, 48, slipped on wet rock during a brook crossing on the Lincoln Brook Trail in the Pemigewasset Wilderness and suffered a lower extremity injury, leaving her unable to walk. Good Samaritans used a hammock as a makeshift litter to carry her to Thirteen Falls tent site and called 911. Conservation Officers and rescue volunteers traveled approximately 8 miles by ATV and on foot to reach her, and she was transported out by UTV and ambulance to Littleton Health.
What we can learn
When hiking in remote areas such as the Pemi Wilderness, it is imperative to be prepared for an extended stay in an emergency, as it can take several hours for rescue personnel to reach the patient's location; hikers should bring the ten essential items including warm clothing, extra food and water, headlamp, fire starter, first aid kit, whistle, rain/wind jackets and pants, knife, map, and compass.