How Many People Have Died on Mount Lincoln? 1 Hiking Death on Record
As of 2026, 1 person has died hiking Mount Lincoln in the documented record — out of 6 incidents in this database, 5 of which were survived. This counts hiking and backcountry incidents only — widely-cited mountain death tolls that include railway, auto-road, and aviation accidents run higher. The causes that recur most here are fall, medical, exposure. Higher counts partly reflect how heavily a peak is hiked, not just how dangerous it is — it’s hiked safely far more often than not, but it rewards real preparation.
Most common causes on Mount Lincoln
- Fall3 incidents
- Medical2 incidents
- Exposure1 incident
Where incidents happen on Mount Lincoln
Trails and locations named in 4 of the 6 records. Not every report specifies a location, so treat this as where incidents are documented, not a complete map of risk.
| Trail or location | Incidents | Deaths |
|---|---|---|
| Falling Waters Trail | 3 | 1 |
One record each: Old Bridal Path, Franconia Ridge Trail, Lincoln Slide.
When incidents happen
Documented incidents by month. Darker = more. Incidents cluster in March; winter incidents skew toward ice and traction, summer toward heat and exhaustion.
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Survived | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||||||
| Fatal | 1 |
Based on incidents with a known date. Use it to plan the season — not to assume any month is “safe.”
Every documented incident on Mount Lincoln
Each links to the full sourced report.
- Rescue · Old Bridal PathAug 14, 2026
- Rescue · Falling Waters TrailJun 24, 2026
- Rescue · Falling Waters TrailMar 11, 2025
- Rescue · Franconia Ridge TrailOct 12, 2024
- Rescue · Lincoln SlideJul 4, 2024
- Body recovery · Falling Waters Trail (Bridle Path/Falling Waters loop)Dec 24, 2022
Frequently asked
Is Mount Lincoln dangerous to hike?+
Mount Lincoln appears in 6 documented incidents in this database, including 1 fatal. The most common contributing factors here are fall, medical, exposure. Higher counts partly reflect how heavily a peak is hiked, not just how dangerous it is — Mount Lincoln is hiked safely far more often than not. Check the forecast, carry the Ten Essentials, start early, and be willing to turn back when conditions or daylight run short.
How many people have died on Mount Lincoln?+
This database documents 1 death on Mount Lincoln out of 6 recorded incidents. The record reaches back into the historical archive and is updated as new reports are reviewed, so it captures the documented fatality record plus a growing, primary-sourced sample of rescues — not a complete tally of every call.
What is the Mount Lincoln death rate — how many people die per year?+
Across the documented record (2022–2026), Mount Lincoln averages about 0.2 hiking deaths per year — 1 deaths over 5 years. Over the last 20 years (2007–2026) the rate is about 0.1 per year, from 1 recorded death. These are hiking and backcountry deaths only; totals that also count railway, auto-road, and aviation accidents run higher. Averages also flatten real variation — a single bad winter storm can account for several deaths in one year.
Part of the WMNF Hiker Incident Database. This tracks hiking and backcountry incidents — widely-cited mountain death tolls also count non-hiking fatalities (railway and auto-road accidents, aircraft, skiing, natural causes at the summit) that this database doesn't. Counts reflect the documented record, not every call NH Fish and Game responds to.