It might almost be May, but winter is still making it’s presence felt in the White Mountains.
Last night, two hikers who officials said were unprepared for snowy conditions had to be rescued on New Hampshire’s Mount Liberty.
New Hampshire Fish and Game officials received a report of a pair of distressed hikers on the Franconia Ridge Trail between Mount Liberty and Little Haystack Mountain in Lincoln, New Hampshire, at 8:20 p.m. on Monday, April 27.
The hikers, ages 38 and 43, were form Quebec. They had summited Mount Liberty and had started to hike across Franconia Ridge when fading light and knee-deep snow made them disoriented.
The pair reportedly felt lost and placed a phone call for help. They were using the AllTrails App to navigate and said that this led to a lot of their confusion.
A conservation officer was able to convince them to turn around and head back towards the Liberty Spring Trail instead of continuing north along the ridge towards Little Haystack Mountain.
After speaking with the hikers, a pair of conservation officers made their way up the Liberty Springs Trail with equipment. The rescuers reached the hikers at 11:15 p.m. and provided gear to them.
Rescuers assisted the two hikers down 2.2 miles of steep icy trail. Everyone exited the trail at 2:22 a.m. on Tuesday, April 28 without any injuries.
New Hampshire Fish and Game officials said hikers should remember that winter conditions still exist in the White Mountains.
