RescueOutcome: Rescued by SARLost

Rescue — Mt. Lafayette, Apr 25, 2010

Apr 25, 2010·Mount Lafayette·Skookumchuck Trail

46-year-old male from Littleton, NH

Peter Murphy, age 46, set out on April 25, 2010 wearing only shorts and a t-shirt with no gear to hike the Skookumchuck Trail to the summit of Mt. Lafayette. After turning around, he became lost and spent two days trying to find his way out of the White Mountain National Forest as weather deteriorated from 60 degrees and sunny to snow and temperatures in the 30s. He was located unharmed on April 27 near the Gale River Forest Service Road by a White Mountain National Forest employee.

What we can learn

Lt. Todd Bogardus stated: 'This is an example of the important need for people to be prepared for every hike with the hikeSafe ten essentials as a minimum, and to practice the Principles of the Hiker Responsibility Code. One needs to be prepared for when things don't go as planned.'

Contributing factors

Inadequate clothingNo emergency shelterIgnored forecast

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

Other recorded incidents on Mount Lafayette