WMNF Safety Database

What goes wrong in the White Mountains

Name: White Mountain National Forest Hiker Incident Database
Creator: Nick Dube

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.

Where it happens

Peaks with the most documented incidents. Note that this is raw count, not per-visit — popularity is a confound.

Where incidents happen

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.

89%

Modern survival rate

232 survived, 30 fatal · since 2015

100%

Most-survived cause

Lost · 33/33 live

100%

Most-fatal cause

Drowning · 5/5 die

Documented rescues — what saved them

May 28, 2026·Mount Bond

66-year-old male from Plymouth, NH

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.

NH Fish and Game

May 11, 2026·Mount Lafayette

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.

NH Fish and Game

Apr 27, 2026·Mount Liberty

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.

NH Fish and Game

Apr 20, 2026·

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.

NH Fish and Game

The full record

Every published incident, freshest first. Search below, or filter by outcome, year, type, or any of the chart breakdowns above.

Outcome

All · 404 Survived · 248 Fatal · 150

Type

Avalanche · 17 SAR (no subject found) · 6 Rescue · 246 Body recovery · 15 Fatality · 120

4 matches · 2004

Clear all

showing 1–4 of 4

Mar 22, 2004·Mount Lafayette·Greenleaf Trail / Old Bridle Path

FatalityHypothermia

43-year-old engineer from Andover, MA

Brenda Cox, 43, and her husband Russell summited Mount Lafayette on March 21, 2004 despite warnings from descending hikers about deteriorating weather. Caught in a whiteout, they took the wrong trail on descent and were stranded two nights above treeline. Per the American Alpine Club analysis, 'sometime during the night, Mrs. Cox slipped into hypothermia and died.' Her husband survived and was airlifted out the next morning. AAC cited failure to turn back, failure to follow the planned route, and inadequate clothing for a forecast winter storm.

Lesson

AAC report flags three compounding decisions: ignoring on-trail warnings from descending hikers, continuing to summit into a known incoming storm, and a winter gear loadout insufficient for an unplanned overnight above treeline.

Inadequate clothingWeather window missed

Mar 7, 2004·Mount Clay

FatalityFall

39-year-old backcountry skier from Vershire, VT

While backcountry skiing on icy Mount Clay on March 7, 2004, Rob Douglas, 39, fell roughly 1,000 feet to his death after companion John Corsi fell first and Douglas attempted to go to his aid. The two other skiers in the party were rescued — one with rib and hip injuries, one with frostbite — and were evacuated by a National Guard Blackhawk in a rare nighttime helicopter operation.

Jan 30, 2004·Mount Washington

Body recoveryFall

28-year-old from Southbridge, MA

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.

Solo

Jan 12, 2004·South Twin Mountain·Twinway Trail

Body recoveryHypothermia

37-year-old male winter backpacker from Athol, Massachusetts

Kenneth Holmes, 37, departed on a solo winter backpacking trip on January 12, 2004 from Lincoln Woods and was reported overdue on January 14. His body was recovered on January 15 near South Twin Mountain at 4,600 feet elevation; the Medical Examiner determined the cause of death was hypothermia due to environmental exposure. Rescue personnel noted behavioral signs consistent with advanced hypothermia, including removal of clothing and erratic movement, during a period of extreme cold with wind chills reported as low as -94°F on Mt. Washington.

SoloIgnored 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

Download the full dataset (CSV)

Database last refreshed at June 3, 2026.