How Many People Have Died on Mount Moosilauke? 1 Hiking Death on Record
As of 2026, 1 person has died hiking Mount Moosilauke in the documented record — out of 11 incidents in this database, 10 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 medical, fall, navigation error. 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 Moosilauke
- Medical3 incidents
- Fall3 incidents
- Navigation error1 incident
- Other1 incident
- Exposure1 incident
- Lost1 incident
Where incidents happen on Mount Moosilauke
Trails and locations named in 5 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Gorge Brook Trail | 3 | — |
| Glencliff Trail | 2 | 1 |
| Snapper Trail | 2 | — |
| Beaver Brook Trail | 2 | — |
One record each: Benton Trail.
When incidents happen
Documented incidents by month. Darker = more. Incidents cluster in July; 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 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 1 | ||||||
| Fatal | 1 |
Based on incidents with a known date. Use it to plan the season — not to assume any month is “safe.”
Mount Moosilauke deaths by decade
Across the documented record (2010–2026), Mount Moosilauke 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 3 | 0 |
| 2020s | 8 | 1 |
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 Moosilauke
Each links to the full sourced report.
- Rescue · Gorge Brook TrailJul 9, 2026
- Rescue · Snapper TrailJun 20, 2026
- Rescue · Gorge Brook TrailJul 26, 2025
- Rescue · Snapper TrailFeb 20, 2025
- Rescue · Beaver Brook TrailJul 5, 2023
- Rescue · Gorge Brook TrailMay 20, 2023
- Rescue · Beaver Brook TrailJul 24, 2021
- Body recovery · Glencliff TrailMar 14, 2021
- Rescue · Benton TrailAug 26, 2010
- Rescue · Glencliff TrailJan 15, 2010
- RescueJan 4, 2010
Frequently asked
Is Mount Moosilauke dangerous to hike?+
Mount Moosilauke appears in 11 documented incidents in this database, including 1 fatal. The most common contributing factors here are medical, fall, navigation error. Higher counts partly reflect how heavily a peak is hiked, not just how dangerous it is — Mount Moosilauke 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 Moosilauke?+
This database documents 1 death on Mount Moosilauke 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 Moosilauke have the most incidents?+
Of the records that name a location, Gorge Brook Trail has 3, Glencliff Trail has 2 (1 fatal), Snapper Trail has 2, Beaver Brook Trail has 2. 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 Moosilauke death rate — how many people die per year?+
Across the documented record (2010–2026), Mount Moosilauke averages about 0.1 hiking deaths per year — 1 deaths over 17 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.