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.
72-year-old male from Virginia (name withheld pending notification)
A hiker found the man's body on the Gulfside Trail near the West Side Trail junction, about a half-mile below the summit. Fish and Game believes he rode the Cog to the summit on August 21 and then tried to hike down; he was dressed in jeans, a navy blue raincoat, and brown hiking boots, and was not prepared for the conditions. Death attributed to likely environmental exposure pending autopsy.
Lesson
Fish and Game noted he was not prepared for the cold, wet, windy conditions at higher summits.
Madison Saltsburg, 20, of Dillsburg, PA (University of Vermont junior)
Saltsburg and a partner ascended Left Gully on foot intending to ski; both slipped near the top of The Lip and fell about 600 vertical feet to the ravine floor. Saltsburg died of traumatic injuries; her partner sustained life-threatening injuries, and a third person was critically injured in a separate sliding fall on Hillman's Highway the same afternoon. The snowpack was refrozen and firm; avalanche hazard was LOW that day.
Lesson
MWAC stressed that Tuckerman Ravine is mountaineering terrain where the consequences of a sliding fall on firm snow can be dire — the majority of winter fatalities there are long sliding falls, not avalanches.
Ian Forgays, 54, of Lincoln, Vermont (very experienced backcountry skier)
Forgays was skiing alone in Ammonoosuc Ravine on the western side of Mt. Washington when an avalanche took his life — the first avalanche fatality recorded on that side of the mountain. Conditions were single-digit temperatures with about 33 mph winds, and the avalanche danger had been rated 'low,' though isolated unstable wind-drifted snow remained possible.
Lesson
The account stresses that 'low' hazard does not mean 'no' hazard and that isolated areas of unstable snow can exist even on low-danger days.
Solo
·Mount Washington·Tuckerman Ravine Trail (above the junction with Lion Head Trail)
FatalityMedical
Sandra Lee, 63, of Mount Tabor, New Jersey
While ascending the Tuckerman Ravine Trail toward the summit on June 13, 2019, Lee showed signs of hypothermia and could no longer move on her own. Per NH Fish and Game, conditions on the summit were 'below freezing with a wind-chill of 12 degrees Fahrenheit, 60 mph sustaining winds while rain and dense fog created ice.' Conservation officers carried her about 0.2 miles to the Auto Road and she was taken by ambulance to Androscoggin Valley Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
Benedix was skiing alone in Raymond Cataract (between Tuckerman and Huntington Ravines) when a human-triggered avalanche (about 135 feet wide at the crown) buried him under about five feet of snow for roughly an hour. He was found and dug out (rescuers noted one set of tracks in and none out) but was pronounced dead about 4 p.m. The avalanche danger had been posted as 'moderate.'
Solo
·Mount Washington·Central Gully approach / Huntington Ravine (the Fan boulder field)
FatalityFall
Jeremy Ullmann, 37, of Somerville, Massachusetts (experienced rock climber but novice ice climber; neuroscientist at Boston Children's Hospital)
Per the Mount Washington Avalanche Center accident analysis, Ullmann 'fell on the steep, icy snow surface on the approach to Central Gully and slid approximately 300 feet' into the boulder field known as the Fan. Snow ranger Frank Carus told NHPR: 'The scratches on the snow indicate that he made an attempt to arrest. He had two ice axes, one of which dragged quite well through the snow for a long distance.' Reported overdue at about 4:45 p.m., his body was found around 7:45 p.m. He was the 160th person to die on Mount Washington per Conway Daily Sun.
Lesson
The Avalanche Center noted self-arrest was very difficult in the hard, icy conditions (formed by preceding warm temperatures and rain) and that avoiding a fall in the first place is paramount.
SoloNovice in winter terrain
·Mount Washington·Lion Head Trail (~2.5 miles from Pinkham Notch Visitor Center)
FatalityMedical
Rolf Diamon, 66, of Windham, Maine
Diamon was ascending the Lion Head Trail with his son on the morning of September 16, 2017, when he became ill and collapsed. His son and other hikers performed CPR, and a National Guard Black Hawk hoisted him off the mountain, but he died despite resuscitation efforts.
·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.
Luc Paquette, 25, was descending the Tuckerman Ravine Trail with friends on September 19, 2013 when he stepped off-trail to view a waterfall and fill his water bottle, slipped on wet terrain, and fell roughly 150 feet onto a ledge. Despite an extensive rescue involving a National Guard Black Hawk, he was pronounced dead at Memorial Hospital.
Lesson
Mount Washington Observatory guidance cited at the time: the Tuckerman Ravine Trail 'ascends a cliff, and travel off the trail would bring you over a precipice with disastrous results.' Two off-trail waterfall-viewing fatalities (Baillie 2010, Paquette 2013) on the same trail in three years.
24-year-old medical student from Boise, ID (attending Columbia)
James 'Jimmy' Watts, 24, an experienced mountaineer and former president of the Harvard Mountaineering Club, was solo and unroped ice climbing Pinnacle Gully on March 1, 2013 when he triggered a slab avalanche. Per WMNF spokeswoman Tiffany Benna, the avalanche pushed Watts 1,000 feet down Huntington Ravine. An emergency room physician who was also climbing in the area found him more than 1,000 feet below the gully around 3 p.m. and, per WMNF Lead Snow Ranger Chris Joosen, 'checked for vital signs... but found none.'
Norman Priebatsch, 67, lost his footing on April 1, 2012 while hiking with his son and fell into an open crevasse leading to an under-snow waterfall in Tuckerman Ravine. His body remained inaccessible under the snow until it was recovered in May 2012 as the snowpack opened.
Patrick Scott Powers, 46, summited Mount Washington on January 9, 2012 and then fell roughly 800 feet down icy slopes into Tuckerman Ravine while descending after dark. A caretaker reported seeing a headlamp moving down a cliff at high speed. Rescuers reached him alive but he died of his injuries. Summit conditions at the time were approximately 9°F with winds 40-50 mph and low visibility.
Christopher Baillie, 24, hiking the Tuckerman Ravine Trail with four friends on July 17, 2010, left the trail to view a waterfall, slipped on wet rocks, and was swept over the headwall — falling an estimated 100 to 200 feet. Per NH Fish and Game Capt. Kevin Jordan, 'he got too close to the edge and the water swept his feet out from under him.'
Lesson
NH Fish and Game emphasized the hazards of leaving the marked trail near the Tuckerman Ravine headwall waterfall. The drainage that looks like a viewing spot from above terminates in a long cliff drop.
Dr. Wieslaw Walczak, 62, an experienced hiker described by his wife as familiar with the area, did not return from a planned Tuckerman Ravine hike and was reported missing the night of November 21, 2009. His body was found the next morning in the steep headwall area. New Hampshire Fish and Game stated everything at the scene was consistent with an unexpected fall.
39-year-old from Bartlett, TN (Lewiston, ME native)
Peter Roux, 39, was solo ice climbing in Odell Gully on January 18, 2008 — a day rated 'High' for avalanche danger by the Mount Washington Avalanche Center — when an avalanche, believed to be climber-triggered, carried him down. Reported overdue that evening, his body was found the next morning roughly 400 feet below the gully. The day's posted bulletin stated that natural and human-triggered avalanches were likely and travel was not recommended; Odell Gully sat in the direct lee of wind loading as winds shifted west.
Lesson
High avalanche danger ratings in Huntington Ravine are not advisory in name only — the AAC accident report frames this as a posted-high day on a gully that was loaded by the prevailing wind direction.
Jason Gaumond, 28, was last seen on January 27, 2004 and reported missing. His body was recovered on January 30, 2004 from the base of Yale Gully in Huntington Ravine after an apparent fall while descending. Summit-area conditions during the window were severe — temperatures around -11°F, sustained winds averaging 75 mph with gusts to 100 mph. The incident was not avalanche-related.
46-year-old from Springfield, NH (formerly Barre, VT)
In the same November 29, 2002 Tuckerman Ravine avalanche that killed Scott Sandberg, Thomas Burke, 46, was soloing on or above the Lip when the slide carried him roughly 1,000 feet down the headwall. Per the American Alpine Club report, 'Tom Burke, who had just survived a 100-foot fall, was swept away and buried, suffering fatal trauma.' Bystanders dug him out and performed CPR for about 20 minutes without success. The day's posted avalanche danger was 'moderate' — the second-lowest on a five-rating scale.
On November 29, 2002 an avalanche swept seven climbers about 1,000 feet down Tuckerman Ravine around 11:30 a.m. Scott Sandberg, 32, was at the base roping up with a partner when the slide hit; he was buried 2-3 feet below the surface and found after a roughly two-hour search. He died of massive head and neck injuries. None of the seven climbers caught in the slide were carrying avalanche transceivers. Forest Service snow rangers had posted a moderate avalanche warning that morning, the second-lowest level on a five-rating scale.
Lesson
Per Forest Service Snow Ranger Chris Joosen, most avalanche fatalities on Mount Washington occur under 'moderate' hazard ratings; warnings posted at the bulletin board are routinely ignored once climbers reach the snow.
Louise Chaput, 52, an experienced solo hiker, set out for a short hike on November 15, 2001 and did not return. Her body was found on November 22, 2001 in the woods roughly 200 feet off the Glen Boulder Trail in Pinkham's Grant, southeast of Mount Washington. The autopsy confirmed she died of multiple stab and incised wounds. Her death was ruled a homicide and remains an open cold case; the New Hampshire Cold Case Unit issued a renewed public appeal for information in December 2025.
Donald Cote, 48, died in a ~350-foot fall from atop Lion Head on Mount Washington in February 1996.
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