RescueFall
Ethan Haust, 36, of Ashland, NH, snowboarder
On March 30, 2026, snowboarder Ethan Haust, 36, caught his edge and collided with a tree while navigating a steep, rocky out-of-bounds section at Cannon Mountain Ski Area, resulting in a serious injury. His group was unable to evacuate him due to the terrain severity and called ski patrol for assistance. Conservation Officers and Pemigewasset Valley Search and Rescue Team used ropes to extricate Haust and transported him to a hospital.
Off trail
RescueMedical
Calvin Swanson, 21, of Plymouth, NH
On June 12, 2025, Calvin Swanson, 21, of Plymouth, NH, injured his leg while descending Cannon Mountain on the Kinsman Ridge Trail after summiting with a friend. A trail crew located and stayed with Swanson until Conservation Officers and Pemi Valley Search and Rescue arrived and carried him out in a litter. He was transported by family to Littleton Regional Hospital for further treatment.
Lesson
All 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.
AvalancheAvalanche
Vincent Lapointe, 31, of Montgomery Center, VT, and Zephi Friel, 36, of Concord, NH; male and female ice climbers
On February 16, 2025, two climbers were caught in an avalanche at the base of the Black Dike route on Cannon Cliffs. The male slid approximately 300 feet and was partially buried; the uninjured female called 911 and helped extract him. The pair partially self-evacuated before being met by rescue personnel and transported by snowmobile to a waiting ambulance.
Body recoveryFall
Christopher Huyler, 44, of Littleton, NH
Huyler hiked toward the middle Cannon Ball via the Coppermine Brook Valley to check a ski glade before ski season; he told his wife at about 4 p.m. he was heading out, then did not return. His body was found just before 1 a.m. at about 2,800 feet by a steep iced-over slide, where he had suffered a significant fall in icy terrain; he was wearing micro-spikes and was well-equipped.
Lesson
Winter conditions have arrived in the mountains, and hikers are encouraged to be prepared by packing the ten essential items including map, compass, warm clothing, extra food and water, headlamp, fire starter, first aid kit, whistle, rain/wind jackets and pants, and a knife.
SoloOff trail
RescueFall
21-year-old male from Marlborough, Massachusetts; self-described inexperienced hiker
A 21-year-old solo hiker became lost near the Kinsman Ridge Trail on Cannon Mountain and fell off a ledge, landing on rocks 20-30 feet below and sustaining serious upper-body injuries. Rescuers from NH Fish and Game and Pemi Valley Search and Rescue Team reached the hiker around midnight, stabilized his injuries, lowered him by rope, and escorted him to the summit where a tram car transported him down. The hiker was taken to Littleton Regional Healthcare; he was not equipped with a map, light source, or raingear.
Lesson
Appropriate footwear should be worn while hiking; hiking boots that provide support, protection, and traction are strongly recommended. Steady rain has caused slippery trail conditions. For safe hiking tips and a list of essential gear, visit hikesafe.com.
No headlampNo mapInadequate clothingSoloOff trail
RescueFall
67-year-old male from Wallington, New Jersey
Jahnsz Witkowski, 67, slipped and fell on wet rocks on the Hi-Cannon Trail on Cannon Mountain, sustaining a leg injury. He and his adult son attempted to continue before calling for help. Conservation Officers and 24 Pemigewasset Valley Search and Rescue volunteers performed a 1.5-mile carryout, completing the rescue just before 1:00 a.m. on June 27; Witkowski was transported to Littleton Regional Hospital.
FatalityFall
Benjamin Kessel, 34, of Somerville, MA
Around 4 p.m. Sunday September 20, 2020, Kessel was climbing the Moby Grape route on Cannon Cliff in Franconia Notch when a rock 'the size of a refrigerator' dislodged, severed his rope, and knocked him roughly 150 feet down the cliff into spruce trees. Other climbers located his body around 5:30 p.m.; it was recovered the next morning.
FatalityFall
20-year-old rock climber
David Koop, 20, was killed on Cannon Cliff on April 28, 1968 when a loose block dislodged while he was placing a piton near the top of the route 'Sam's Swan Song.' He fell roughly 60 feet, dying rapidly from a severed leg artery and head injuries. His belayer Charles Ericsson held the fall. The American Alpine Club notes that of the first seven recorded deaths on Cannon Cliff, five involved loose rock.
Lesson
Cannon Cliff's signature hazard is loose rock — five of the cliff's first seven recorded climbing deaths involved rockfall or loose-block failures, including pitons placed in fragile features.