Rescued carried an injured Appalachian Trail thru hiker for nearly three miles in New Hampshire yesterday.
According to New Hampshire Fish and Game officials, they received a report of a hiker who had fallen and suffered a serious but non-life-threatening head injury shortly after 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, August 13.
The hiker had reportedly fallen down the deck stairs at the Zealand Falls Hut in Bethlehem. The report said Appalachian Mountain Club staff was helping the hiker and attempting to stop the bleeding from the injury.
Due to the seriousness of the injury the hiker was not able to hike out and a rescue call was made.
Volunteers from the Pemigewasset Valley Search and Rescue Team along with conservation officers responded and hiked up the trail, reaching the injured hiker at 11:35 a.m. The hiker, a 73-year-old man from Newark, Delaware, was placed in a litter and carried from the hut 2.8 miles to the trailhead.
The rescuers arrived at the trailhead at 1:30 pm. The hiker was then transported by the Twin Mountain Ambulance to Littleton Regional Hospital for further medical treatment of his injuries.
Officials said the hiker was well prepared and had been on the trail since March 31. He was thru hiking the Appalachian Trail and plans to get back out on the trail again as soon as he is able.
