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AvalancheOutcome: FatalAvalanche

Avalanche — Mount Washington, Jan 31, 1954

·Mount Washington

25-year-old trip leader from Toledo, OH · party of 2

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.

What we can learn

Never camp beneath avalanche-prone headwalls when established emergency shelters are within reach. Both fatalities passed working emergency telephones and first-aid caches during their attempted descent.

Contributing factors

Novice in winter terrainNo emergency shelter
Before you head out: check the forecast, carry the Ten Essentials, leave your plans with someone, and be willing to turn back. See current conditions →

Other recorded incidents on Mount Washington

Part of the WMNF Hiker Incident Database. Every entry cites a primary or near-primary source; details are refined as the record is reviewed.