How Many People Have Died on Mount Madison? 6 Hiking Deaths on Record
As of 2026, 6 people have died hiking Mount Madison in the documented record — out of 11 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 Madison
- Fall4 incidents
- Medical3 incidents
- Exposure2 incidents
- Hypothermia2 incidents
Where incidents happen on Mount Madison
Trails and locations named in 6 of the 11 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Valley Way Trail | 2 | 1 |
| Osgood Trail | 2 | 1 |
One record each: Gulfside Trail near Madison Hut, Daniel Webster Scout Trail, Madison Spring Hut, Pine Link Trail.
When incidents happen
Documented incidents by month. Darker = more. Incidents cluster in August; 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 | 2 | 1 | 2 | |||||||||
| Fatal | 2 | 3 | 1 |
Based on incidents with a known date. Use it to plan the season — not to assume any month is “safe.”
Mount Madison deaths by decade
Across the documented record (1938–2026), Mount Madison averages 0.1 hiking deaths per year — about 0.1 per year over the last 20 years. Averages flatten real variation: a single winter storm can account for several deaths in one year, and none the next.
| Decade | Incidents | Deaths |
|---|---|---|
| 1930s | 1 | 1 |
| 1950s | 1 | 1 |
| 1980s | 1 | 1 |
| 1990s | 1 | 1 |
| 2010s | 2 | 0 |
| 2020s | 5 | 2 |
Rescue records are documented far more consistently in recent decades than in the historical archive, so rising incident counts reflect improving records as much as changing risk. The fatality column is the more comparable series.
Every documented incident on Mount Madison
Each links to the full sourced report.
- Rescue · Valley Way TrailAug 11, 2026
- Fatality · Valley Way TrailJun 16, 2025
- Rescue · Osgood Trail / Howker Ridge TrailSep 21, 2024
- Fatality · Osgood TrailAug 11, 2023
- Rescue · Daniel Webster Scout TrailAug 9, 2023
- Rescue · Madison Spring Hut (attempting a Presidential traverse from Pinkham Notch)Oct 24, 2018
- Rescue · Pine Link TrailOct 7, 2013
- FatalityOct 30, 1999
- FatalityAug 24, 1986
- FatalityJun 7, 1956
- Fatality · Gulfside Trail near Madison HutAug 24, 1938
Frequently asked
Is Mount Madison dangerous to hike?+
Mount Madison appears in 11 documented incidents in this database, including 6 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 Madison 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 Madison?+
This database documents 6 deaths on Mount Madison out of 11 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.
Which trails on Mount Madison have the most incidents?+
Of the records that name a location, Valley Way Trail has 2 (1 fatal), Osgood Trail has 2 (1 fatal). Counts partly track how heavily each trail is used, so a busy route will out-count a harder one. Many reports don't name a trail at all, so this is where incidents are documented rather than a complete map of risk.
What is the Mount Madison death rate — how many people die per year?+
Across the documented record (1938–2026), Mount Madison averages about 0.1 hiking deaths per year — 6 deaths over 89 years. Over the last 20 years (2007–2026) the rate is about 0.1 per year, from 2 recorded deaths. 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.