A searchable record of fatalities, rescues, and search-and-rescue missions in the White Mountain National Forest, drawn from NH Fish and Game press releases, the Mount Washington Avalanche Center, and major regional outlets quoting agency statements.
Compiled and maintained by Nick Dube, NH 48 finisher and longtime White Mountains hiker · updated daily from NH Fish & Game. Modern-era (2015+) figures best represent current risk — the deep historical record skews fatal because routine rescues weren’t archived the way deaths were.
404
Total incidents
Documented since 1849
248
Survived
Self-rescued or rescued by SAR
150
Fatal
6 missing, never found
89%
Survival rate · 2015+
262 modern incidents
This database is a work in progress. We’re actively reviewing sources and adding incidents, so counts will grow and details may be refined over time.
Before you go: the Hiker Responsibility Code
Nearly every incident in this database was survivable — and many were preventable. You are responsible for yourself, so be prepared:
1.With knowledge and gear
2.To leave your plans
3.To stay together
4.To turn back
5.For emergencies
6.To share the hiker code with others
Check the current conditions before any hike, carry the Ten Essentials, start early, and turn around when weather or daylight runs short.
The long record
Documented incidents by decade. Survived rescues in forest green, fatalities in alert red. Hover a decade for its breakdown, or a year marker for the milestone. The pre-2015 period skews fatal not because the backcountry was deadlier then, but because rescues are not archived the way deaths are.
1849
1901
1954
1982
2015
SurvivedFatalMissing or unknown
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
5
16
12
15
25
29
39
33
27
25
11
11
Fatal
18
15
16
12
11
14
10
14
12
13
7
5
Based on incidents with a known date. Use it to plan the season — not to assume any month is “safe.”
What goes wrong
Primary cause of each incident, split by outcome. Click a row to filter the database below.
Incidents mapped to the peak they’re linked to — bigger, redder circles mean more incidents and a higher fatal share. Click a peak to see its record.
Only incidents linked to a specific peak appear here; trail- or region-only reports are in the database below.
The playbook
What works · what gets people out alive
The bulk of WMNF backcountry incidents end in successful rescue. NH Fish and Game handles 200+ a year statewide; what follows is what the documented modern record (2015+) shows about the patterns that get people home.
Bailey, hiking out alone after a night at Guyot Shelter, slipped and fell on a steep descent of the Bondcliff Trail, injuring his leg about 7.5 miles into the backcountry. He texted NH 911 and was hoisted out by an Army National Guard Black Hawk and flown to Dartmouth Hitchcock. Fish and Game noted he was well-prepared.
Lesson · Hikers are encouraged to be prepared for their trek by packing the ten essential items: map, compass, warm clothing, extra food and water, headlamp, fire starter, first aid kit, whistle, rain/wind jackets and pants, and a knife.
Susan Kuruvilla, 71, of Pennsylvania; Mini Kuruvilla, 52, of Texas; Joel Mathew, 21, of Connecticut
Three hikers started the Franconia Ridge Loop at 9:00 a.m. on May 11, 2026, and by 9:00 p.m. found themselves approximately 2 miles from the trailhead with no lights and unable to locate the trail as temperatures dropped into the low 20s. Conservation Officers hiked up the Old Bridle Path, located the group, provided lights, and assisted them back to the trailhead at 2:00 a.m. on May 12.
Lesson · NH Fish and Game reminded hikers that it is still winter in the mountains with snow, wind, and freezing temperatures, and to bring at least the 10 essentials on any hike.
Two female hikers, ages 38 and 43, from Quebec, Canada
On April 27, 2026, Jessica Fournier-Chartrand (38) and Annie Petrin (43) became disoriented on the Franconia Ridge Trail between Mount Liberty and Little Haystack Mountain due to fading light and knee-deep snow. They called for help while navigating with the AllTrails app, which they reported contributed to their confusion. Two conservation officers reached the pair at 11:15 p.m. and assisted them down 2.2 miles of steep icy trail, exiting at 2:22 a.m. on April 28 without injuries.
Lesson · New Hampshire Fish and Game reminded everyone that winter conditions still exist in the White Mountains and directed hikers to hikesafe.com for safe hiking tips and essential gear information.
56-year-old male from North Reading, Massachusetts
Jonathan Gullotti, 56, left the Glen Boulder trailhead at approximately 8:45 a.m. on April 20, 2026, became caught in a snowstorm, made several wrong turns, and ended up on the Rocky Branch Trail. He called for help after realizing he was lost and needed directions out. Conservation Officers and US Forest Service members drove to within approximately 2 miles of Gullotti and directed him out by approximately 7:40 p.m.
Lesson · Hikers are reminded that spring conditions in the mountains can change quickly and preparation is important; having the 10 essentials, including a map, can greatly improve the outcome of a mountain trip.
Phaneendra Uppalapati, 44, and Shirisha Mallala, 41, both of Nashua, NH
During severe weather (steady rain, 58 mph gusts, 29°F wind chill) the pair slowed significantly and were found extremely wet and cold just below the Lion Head Trail junction, about a half-mile below the summit, during a night of multiple back-to-back rescues around Mt. Washington.
Lesson
People venturing out into the backcountry, even in August, are reminded to pack for survival situations, thoroughly research the weather and trail conditions, and be prepared with gear and knowledge to self-rescue if things get bad.
Inadequate clothing
·Mount Washington·Lion Head Trail (found above the Alpine Garden Trail junction)
RescueHypothermia
James Clark, 80, of Dublin, Ohio
Clark was left to hike at his own pace while two family members summited and descended a different trail; he was reported overdue at about 7:45 p.m. on June 13, 2019, with no overnight gear, cellphone, or light. Rescuers found him on the Lion Head Trail in a fetal position with hypothermia, warmed him, and carried him about 1.7 miles to the Auto Road by 5 a.m.; he was treated for non-life-threatening injuries.
Lesson
NH Fish and Game confirmed a billing/negligence review and planned to bill Clark roughly $2,400 for the overnight rescue. Lt. Mark Ober's takeaway: 'This probably wouldn't have happened if the group had stayed together.'
No headlampNo emergency shelterInadequate clothing
·Mount Washington·Lion Head Trail / Alpine Garden Trail area (~5,300 ft); some outlets reported off the Tuckerman Ravine Trail
Body recoveryHypothermia
François Carrier, 47, of Drummondville, Quebec
Carrier was last seen on the Mount Washington Auto Road on May 9, 2016, and reported missing May 12. After an extensive search, passing hikers found his body on May 28 at about 5,300 feet. An autopsy attributed death to environmental hypothermia.
40-year-old community college music professor from South Orange, NJ
Monroe Couper, 40, and his partner Eric Lattey left the Harvard Cabin late on February 26, 1994 (returning for a forgotten rope) to climb Pinnacle Gully. Last seen high on the route at ~5 p.m., they were stopped by 90+ mph winds and -18°F cold. Without sleeping bags or food (only a stove), they died of hypothermia in an emergency bivouac at the edge of the Alpine Garden; bodies found February 28.
Late startIgnored forecastNo emergency shelterNovice in winter terrain
Eric Lattey, 28, and his partner Monroe Couper left the Harvard Cabin late on February 26, 1994 (returning for a forgotten rope) to climb Pinnacle Gully. Last seen high on the route at ~5 p.m., they were stopped by 90+ mph winds and -18°F cold. Without sleeping bags or food (only a stove), they died of hypothermia in an emergency bivouac at the edge of the Alpine Garden; bodies found February 28.
Late startIgnored forecastNo emergency shelterNovice in winter terrain
Judy March, 17, died of exposure on the Crawford Path about a quarter mile below the summit of Mount Washington in July 1958 alongside her companion Paul Zanet.
Paul Zanet, 24, died of exposure on the Crawford Path about a quarter mile below the summit of Mount Washington in July 1958 alongside his companion Judy March.
23-year-old from Cambridge, MA, no prior mountain experience
Jacques Parysko, 23, survived the avalanche that destroyed the igloo he and Philip Longnecker had built at the foot of the Tuckerman Ravine headwall on January 31, 1954. Improperly dressed for the conditions, he fled down the Sherburne Ski Trail and died of exposure near the Harvard cabin, having passed three emergency telephones and two first-aid caches en route.
Lesson
Emergency telephones and shelters on Mount Washington are useless if hypothermia clouds judgment to the point of walking past them. The decision point is staying put — at a known shelter — rather than fleeing.
Joseph B. Chadwick, 22, froze to death along with his partner Ernest W. McAdams during a winter ascent of Mount Washington in January 1932. Both died in the same storm near the Lizzie Bourne monument.
Ernest W. McAdams, 22, froze to death along with his partner Joseph B. Chadwick during a winter ascent of Mount Washington in January 1932. Both died in the same storm near the Lizzie Bourne monument.
Allan Ormsbee, 29, pressed on with his more experienced partner William B. Curtis into a June gale while hiking up to the AMC summit meeting on Mount Washington. Ormsbee died a few hundred feet below the summit. The deaths prompted the Lakes of the Clouds shelter the following year (1901).
63-year-old from New York, founder of the Fresh Air Club and a prominent figure in American amateur athletics
William B. Curtis and his companion Allan Ormsbee pressed on into a June gale while hiking up to the AMC's summit meeting on Mount Washington. Curtis, 63, collapsed near the present-day Lakes of the Clouds. The deaths prompted the construction of the Lakes of the Clouds shelter the following year (1901).
Lesson
Curtis and Ormsbee's deaths drove the original Lakes of the Clouds shelter — a permanent reminder that an extreme summer storm above treeline can kill experienced parties without bailout options.
23-year-old from Kennebunk, ME (history of heart condition)
Lizzie Bourne, the first recorded female fatality on Mount Washington. She left the Halfway House on the Glen House Bridle Path late in the day despite worsening weather and died of exposure a few hundred feet from the Tip-Top House at the summit.
The first recorded death on Mount Washington. Frederick Strickland reached the summit in early-winter October conditions but lost his way descending the west side, dying of exposure below treeline near where the Jewell Trail now crosses Clay Brook.
Elmer Lyman froze to death in April 1928 while walking the then-unplowed Pinkham Notch road in winter conditions.
Solo
Frequently asked questions
How many hiking deaths and rescues are documented in the White Mountains?+
This database documents 404 incidents in the White Mountain National Forest — including 150 fatalities — dating back to 1849. It is not a complete tally of every rescue: NH Fish and Game responds to roughly 200 backcountry incidents a year statewide. It captures the documented fatality record plus a growing, primary-sourced sample of rescues, updated daily.
What is the most common cause of hiking incidents in the White Mountains?+
In this dataset, the most frequently recorded primary factor is fall, in 176 incidents. Getting lost, falls, hypothermia, and underestimating the terrain recur throughout the record — and most are preventable with preparation.
Which White Mountain peak has the most recorded incidents?+
Mount Washington has the most recorded incidents in this database (137). Higher counts reflect both terrain and popularity — the busiest, most exposed peaks generate the most calls, so this is not a pure measure of danger.
Is Mount Washington dangerous to hike?+
Mount Washington and the Presidential Range pair some of the world's most extreme, fast-changing weather with miles of exposure above treeline. The documented record shows hypothermia, falls, and getting lost as recurring factors — even in summer. It is regularly hiked safely, but it demands real preparation: check the Higher Summits Forecast, carry layers and traction, and be willing to turn back.
How can I avoid needing a search and rescue?+
Follow the hikeSafe Hiker Responsibility Code — you are responsible for yourself, so be prepared: (1) with knowledge and gear, (2) to leave your plans, (3) to stay together, (4) to turn back, (5) for emergencies, and (6) to share the hiker code with others. Check the forecast, carry the Ten Essentials, start early, and turn around when conditions or daylight run short.
Where does this data come from, and can I cite it?+
Every entry is drawn from a primary or near-primary source — NH Fish and Game press releases, the Mount Washington Avalanche Center, the American Alpine Club accident archive, or major regional outlets quoting agency statements — and the database updates daily from new NH Fish and Game releases. You're welcome to cite it; a suggested citation and a downloadable CSV are at the bottom of this page.
About this dataset
This database contains 404 documented incidents in the White Mountain National Forest. Each row is sourced from a primary or near-primary report — NH Fish and Game press releases, the Mount Washington Avalanche Center, the American Alpine Club's accident archive, or major regional outlets quoting agency statements.
The rescue-to-fatality ratio shown here is not the WMNF safety ratio. Fatalities have been consistently archived since the 19th century; routine rescues have not. NH Fish and Game handles roughly 200 backcountry incidents a year statewide — this database currently captures a fraction of them in detail, alongside the historical fatality record. Modern-era (2015+) figures are the most representative.
Every entry is a real person and a real event. We publish them as a public-safety resource, not as a memorial leaderboard. Names appear only when published in the cited source. If you are a family member and would like an entry adjusted or removed, contact us via the site footer.
Citing this data: HikerNerd. (2026). White Mountain National Forest Hiker Incident Database. https://hikernerd.com/safety/incidents