RescueOutcome: Rescued by SARLost
Rescue — Mount Tecumseh, Feb 20, 2000
Ryan Lanagan, age 10; wandered off a trail at the Waterville Valley ski area
On February 20, 2000, 10-year-old Ryan Lanagan wandered off a trail at the Waterville Valley ski area onto Mount Tecumseh and spent about 15 hours out overnight. A National Guard helicopter crew spotted him the next morning; a Fish and Game conservation officer reached him on snowshoes and he walked most of the way down, needing no hospital treatment.
What we can learn
Coverage credited his survival to staying put and sheltering rather than pressing on — he packed snow around himself for insulation and conserved energy.
Contributing factors
Off trail