What goes wrong in the White Mountains

64-year-old male from East Kingston, NH

Horgan was hiking the Bolles Trail in Albany with his sons when they became separated about 4 miles from the trailhead in an area with no cell service. His sons sent emergency texts to 911; conservation officers and Lakes Region Search and Rescue located Horgan about a half-mile up the trail, and he hiked out with rescuers.

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.

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.

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.

67-year-old female hiker from Westerly, RI

On November 25, 2025, Katherine Rosen, 67, became separated from her sister on the Davis Path in Harts Location after turning back early from a short walk. She lost the trail and ended up several hundred yards downstream of the parking area on the opposite bank of the Saco River. Conservation Officers located her by following her calls for help and walked her out uninjured by shortly before 8:00 p.m.

52-year-old male hiker and his teenage son

On November 8, 2025, Steven Diroff, 52, and his teenage son took a wrong turn while hiking the Baldface Loop and ended up several miles out on the Black Angel Trail without a flashlight or headlamp. Rescuers from NHFG and AVSAR responded to the Basin Trail in Chatham. Diroff and his son made it to within a few hundred yards of the trailhead on their own and were given a courtesy ride back to their vehicle.

69-year-old female hiker from Portsmouth, NH

Deborah VanPatten, 69, activated an emergency SOS via satellite device after feeling lost on the Wilderness Trail approximately 7.7–8 miles from the Lincoln Woods Visitor Center in the Pemigewasset Wilderness. She was uninjured but had traveled farther into the remote area than intended and did not want to worsen her situation by moving into unfamiliar terrain. A Conservation Officer and a Good Samaritan hiker located her at 7:53 p.m. and transported her by ATV to the Lincoln Woods Visitor Center, arriving safely at 11:40 p.m.

57-year-old male from Westwood, MA

On May 3, 2025, Richard De Reyna, 57, became lost off the Kilkenny Ridge Trail between Weeks and Middle Weeks Mountains after encountering deep snow conditions that caused him to repeatedly lose the trail. He drained his phone battery using a mapping app to relocate the trail, leaving him unable to communicate after his initial 911 call; he was found wet, cold, and mildly hypothermic at 9:19 p.m., approximately 4.5 miles from the nearest road. Rescuers from AVSAR, NH Fish and Game, and Berlin Fire Department reached him and transported him out, arriving at staged vehicles at 1:45 a.m.

52-year-old male from Acton, Massachusetts

On March 21, 2025, solo hiker Gary Sullivan (52) lost the Twinway Trail near Mount Guyot while floundering in waist-deep snow without snowshoes. He texted 911 with a dying phone, set up a shelter, and was located by Conservation Officers and Pemi Valley SAR volunteers approximately 6.5 miles in from Gale River Road. Sullivan was uninjured and returned to the trailhead at 10:05 p.m.

17-year-old male from Stratham, NH

Aiden Shaw, 17, became lost off Valley Way Trail after suffering a boot malfunction during a Presidential Traverse attempt with two companions. He became mired in deep snow near Snyder Brook, abandoned his pack including his light source, and was too wet, cold, and exhausted to self-rescue. AVSAR volunteers reached him at 8:17 p.m., treated his foot for cold weather injuries, provided footwear, and escorted him out, arriving at the trailhead at 10:36 p.m.

Kathryn McKee, 51, of Fayville, MA, and Beata Lelacheur, 54, of Westborough, MA

The two became stranded in whiteout conditions in chest-deep snow at about 5,000 feet, only 34 feet off the Jewell Trail. A snowcat brought nine rescuers up; crews snowshoed through deep, wind-blown snow and located the pair at 1:50 a.m., set up emergency shelters, and warmed them for an hour. Both were treated for cold-weather injuries; Fish and Game said their gear likely saved their lives.

Two male hikers, ages 33 and 34, from Cranston RI and Naugatuck CT

Two male hikers descended the Greenleaf Trail instead of their planned Old Bridle Path route after completing the Franconia Ridge Trail. Weather conditions obscured trail markers and tracks, causing them to become lost near Eagle Pass and self-report hypothermia symptoms. Conservation officers hiked approximately 3/4 mile up steep terrain to reach the pair, warmed them, and escorted them to the trailhead; both refused medical treatment.

Joshua Donovan, 20, and his sister Alyssa Donovan, 18, both from Lawrence, Massachusetts

Joshua Donovan (20) and Alyssa Donovan (18) became lost off the Brook Trail on Mt. Chocorua while descending from near the summit. Joshua sustained a hip injury after falling multiple times while following the brook attempting to self-rescue. Rescuers located them at 10:40 p.m. a short distance from the Brook Trail and assisted them out by 11:45 p.m.

37-year-old woman from Laval, Quebec

Christine Beaulieu, 37, became stranded off trail in darkness after losing the trail due to lack of a headlamp. She followed the Ellis River downstream, fell in, became soaking wet, lost a shoe, and was stuck on the opposite bank from the Tuckerman Ravine Trail. Rescuers located her around 1:20 a.m. and assisted her back across the river and down to the Pinkham Notch Visitor Center.

60-year-old Alain Dion and 46-year-old Nadine Dion of Quebec, Canada

Two Canadian hikers on the Caps Ridge Trail to Mt. Jefferson became lost, ran out of water, and grew tired on July 24, 2024. After an initial 911 call around 5:40 p.m., they attempted to self-rescue but called again at 8:58 p.m. when one became ill and they could not continue. Three Conservation Officers responded and assisted the hikers down to their vehicle, providing food, water, and headlamps.

62-year-old female hiker from Dedham, MA

On May 30, 2024, Eileen Centofanti, 62, went off trail while hiking Iron Mountain alone and became lost over a mile from the Iron Mountain Trail. She was able to place a 911 call despite poor cell service, and a Conservation Officer hiked in to her location via a gated Forest Service road. Centofanti was uninjured and hiked out under her own power, reaching the officer's vehicle shortly before 7:00 p.m.

Thomas Damiano, 81, of Homosassa, Florida

Thomas Damiano, 81, became lost near the Highwater Trail in Bean's Purchase after trails were obscured by washouts and severe weather, leaving him fatigued after hours of bushwhacking. Swollen river conditions made self-rescue risky. Conservation Officer Holmes and a volunteer used an ATV, forded the Wild River, and located Damiano near the riverbank, assisting him out safely.

Two hikers; Tara O'Shea, 51, of Middleton, MA, with a leg injury, and an unnamed companion

On May 25, 2024, two hikers became lost off trail in Jackson, NH on the Rocky Branch Trail. One hiker, Tara O'Shea, sustained a leg injury, and her phone battery died during the 911 call. Conservation Officers located the pair at 11:08 p.m. and assisted them out to the trailhead by 12:40 a.m.; O'Shea was transported to Memorial Hospital in Conway for treatment.

38-year-old male hiker from Farmington, NH

William Morin, 38, began a northern presidential traverse on Monday and became disoriented, ending up off trail on the steep slopes of the Great Gulf after taking the seldom-used and poorly marked Buttress Trail. Rainy weather and deep snow soaked all his clothing and gear, and he had not been heard from in over 30 hours when rescue was initiated. A Conservation Officer and AVSAR member located him at the edge of the Peabody River in his tent at 6:00 p.m. and guided him out to the trailhead by 10:00 p.m.

Male ultra-runner from Wilmot, NH

On April 26, 2024, ultra-runner Chris Naimie became overdue on a 26-mile loop run in the Pemigewasset Wilderness after losing his light source and being unable to navigate in the dark. The run took longer than expected due to trail conditions including snow and slush. A Conservation Officer located him uninjured along the Eastside Trail via ATV at approximately 8:30 p.m.

Two 24-year-old female hikers from Massachusetts

On October 9, 2023, two hikers became off-trail on the Frankenstein Cliff Trail and were unable to reacquire the trail. They were not equipped with lights. Conservation officers and volunteers located them at approximately 9:50 p.m., provided lights, and escorted them back to the trailhead unharmed.

Two male hikers, ages 65 and 69, from New York and Florida respectively

On October 4, 2023, two hikers on the 9-mile Franconia Ridge Loop ran out of daylight and water, losing the trail in the dark on Falling Waters Trail. A Conservation Officer hiked 1.3 miles up the trail, reached the pair at 8:35 p.m., provided lights, and assisted them safely to the trailhead by 10:00 p.m. The hikers were cold, wet, and without food or water when located.

39-year-old male from Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Bradford Nelson, 39, hiked to the summit of Mt. Kearsarge North on August 25, 2023, went off trail exploring, and became lost. Unable to self-rescue due to cold, wet weather and no light, he called 911 at approximately 11:00 p.m. Conservation Officers located him near the summit at 2:40 a.m. and escorted him back to the trailhead by 5:15 a.m.

Pauline Sanchez, 36, of San Jose, CA, and Sheena Santos, 34, of Radford, VA

Two hikers became lost after getting off trail while descending the Bee Line Trail on Mt. Chocorua on April 14, 2023. One hiker lost a shoe in deep snow and was unable to recover it. Rescuers located them, provided warm clothes, headlamps, and shoes, and hiked out with them, arriving at the trailhead shortly before 2:00 a.m.

59-year-old female hiker from Londonderry, NH

Lynn McFarland, 59, began hiking Mt. Isolation with a friend on February 20, 2023; her partner turned back while she continued alone, summiting around 3:00 p.m. She lost the trail on the descent and was approximately 1,400 feet off trail before calling for help. Conservation Officers hiked in to locate her, but she found the trail on her own and met them before 1:00 a.m., returning to the trailhead around 2:15 a.m.