Rescue — Mt. Weeks / Middle Weeks Mountain, May 3, 2025
57-year-old male from Westwood, MA
On May 3, 2025, Richard De Reyna, 57, became lost off the Kilkenny Ridge Trail between Weeks and Middle Weeks Mountains after encountering deep snow conditions that caused him to repeatedly lose the trail. He drained his phone battery using a mapping app to relocate the trail, leaving him unable to communicate after his initial 911 call; he was found wet, cold, and mildly hypothermic at 9:19 p.m., approximately 4.5 miles from the nearest road. Rescuers from AVSAR, NH Fish and Game, and Berlin Fire Department reached him and transported him out, arriving at staged vehicles at 1:45 a.m.
What we can learn
Hikers are encouraged to pack the ten essential items and to turn their phone off or place it in airplane mode to preserve battery life in case assistance is needed.
Contributing factors