A pair of lost hikers who had no lights or other appropriate gear had to be rescued near New Hampshire’s Franconia Ridge early Tuesday morning.

According to New Hampshire Fish and Game officials, the two hikers called 911 shortly after 8:30 p.m. on Monday, May 27, to report they were lost after missing a trail they planned to take back to their vehicle.



Officials determined that the hikers – Thomas Joyce, 21, and Christopher Choeun, 20, both of Nashua, New Hampshire – were on the Garfield Ridge, well north of Mount Lafayette and the Bridal Path that they hikers had intended to use.

Both hikers were wet, cold and without food, water, lights or warm clothing. The hikers were told by rescuers to turn around and walk back towards the Skookumchuck Trail and start down it.

They were using the lights from their cell phones to navigate and it was unknown how long the batteries would last. Conservation officers hiked the Skookumchuck Trail and located the two hikers .2 miles from the ridge line shortly after midnight.

The pair was given warm and dry clothes, food, water and head lamps. They were able to walk out under their own power, arriving at the trailhead shortly before 4:30 in the morning.

Officials said the two were not prepared for hiking, and were only wearing jeans, light shirts and Converse sneakers.