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.
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.
No headlamp
·No specific peak·Black Angel Trail
RescueLost
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.
Lesson
Always bring a spare headlamp or flashlight and extra batteries whenever you go for a hike, no matter how long you expect to be out.
William Davis, 79, of Jacksonville, FL, wandered off the summit of Mt. Washington after arriving via the Cog Railway and was last seen near the observation deck around 3:20 p.m. on July 16, 2025. Phone contact was briefly made and he appeared to be lost off trail near the summit, but he stopped answering his phone and could not be located despite an overnight search. A second full day of searching by Fish and Game, AVSAR volunteers, and State Park personnel also failed to locate him, and the search was suspended for the night with plans to resume July 18.
Off trail
·No specific peak·Wilderness Trail
RescueLost
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.
Lesson
Conservation Officers reminded outdoor enthusiasts to prepare for their activity and possible complications, and to always have a back-up plan; they directed the public to www.hikesafe.com.
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.
Lesson
Hikers are encouraged to pack the ten essential items and to turn their phone off or place it in airplane mode to preserve battery life in case assistance is needed.
Phone battery diedNo headlampInadequate clothingNovice in winter terrainPhone-only navigation
·Mount Guyot·Twinway Trail
RescueLost
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.
Lesson
Winter conditions persist at elevation, and as snow continues to soften snowshoes are a must to avoid post holing.
SoloInadequate tractionPhone battery died
·No specific peak·Valley Way Trail
RescueLost
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.
Lesson
Rescuers noted that the hikers realized plans change in the high peaks during winter months; the party lacked an emergency shelter despite attempting a multi-peak winter traverse.
Off trailNo headlampNo emergency shelterNovice in winter terrain
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.
Lesson
Fish and Game noted both hikers were prepared with gear and winter experience but encountered unforeseen conditions, illustrating the need to prepare for the unexpected.
Off trail
·No specific peak·Greenleaf Trail
RescueLost
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.
Lesson
Hikers must prepare for all forecasted weather conditions, carry proper footwear, a headlamp, and appropriate layers. The pair were found to be inadequately prepared for conditions that were forecasted.
Inadequate clothingIgnored forecast
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