All incidents
RescueOutcome: Rescued by SARFall

Rescue — Owl's Head Mountain, Sep 21, 2026

·Owl's Head·Brutus Bushwhack

a 56-year-old from North Conway, NH; also a 68-year-old man from Thornton, NH who was overdue from a planned overnight stay · party of 2

A 56-year-old hiker slipped and injured his lower leg while descending Owl's Head Mountain via the Brutus Bushwhack in the Pemigewasset Wilderness, and was carried out by a 29-person rescue team after a companion sought help and a Good Samaritan with a Garmin inReach alerted rescuers. Separately, a 68-year-old Thornton man was reported overdue after leaving for a hike and not returning, prompting a search involving drones and canines; he was found uninjured about a quarter mile from his residence, having planned an unannounced overnight stay in the woods.

What we can learn

Leave a detailed plan with someone, including where you are going, trails you are hiking, and when you'll return.

Contributing factors

Off trail
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 for Owl's Head →

Other recorded incidents on Owl's Head

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