Emergency Responders Urge Hiker Safety After Calls from N.H. Mountain

July 16--Emergency responders are emphasizing hiker safety this season following several recent cases of injured or lost hikers in the Monadnock Region over the past week.

Conservation officers responded to three calls on Mount Monadnock Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. Though a tired hiker Sunday ultimately did not require any assistance, conservation officers had to rescue a man stuck between several large boulders on Monday. A woman and a teenager were reported missing on Tuesday, but ultimately made it down to safety on their own.

As of this week, 14 people in N.H. Fish and Game's District Four had been rescued during this year's peak hiking season, which runs from June until October, according to Lt. David Walsh.

Though Walsh said Fish and Game responds to any rescue within his district -- which covers Cheshire County, a majority of Hillsborough County and portions of the Sullivan and Merrimack counties -- he said that one quarter to half of the rescue calls are for Mount Mondadnock.

Fish and Game is the primary responder for rescue calls, but the Jaffrey Fire Department will be called in if necessary. On average, the department responds to six to a dozen calls each year, according to Jaffrey Fire Chief David Chamberlain.

"Sometimes, (the calls are) just for falls and stuff like that," he said. "Lots of times, it's people not properly prepared for the type of climb they're going to be taking."

The greatest danger to hikers is not the risk of injuries, but potential weather changes, Chamberlain said.

In autumn, when hikers come up to see the foliage, temperatures can drop from the 60s to the 40s during the course of the hike. If a hiker is unprepared, the cold temperatures can take a toll on the already fatigued person as he or she makes the descent, according to Chamberlain.

Though Walsh said only small studies have been done on the demographic of lost or injured hikers, there are some defining factors. He estimated that 60 percent are males between 20 and 40 years old.

"Which makes sense, they're most prevalent to be outside and active," Walsh said.

Chamberlain said these rescues each can take at least a couple of hours -- if the responders know where to go. But they still have to account for the time it takes to get up the mountain.

"It's not easy to get people up there in a timely fashion," Chamberlain said.

The manpower required in these rescues can have far-reaching effects.

"When you have to take anywhere from four to six firefighters and send them up the mountain to assist, it takes away from responding to other emergencies in town," he said.

But Walsh said there are several resources in the state for hikers to take advantage of before their climbs.

Besides recommending hikers bring extra flashlights and clothing, Walsh said HikeSafe.com lists equipment for different types of hikes and tips on how to stay safe.

On N.H. Fish and Game's website, people can purchase the hiker safety card, according to Walsh. People who have the card can be shielded from rescue-related fines.

If the issue prompting a rescue or response is ruled an accident -- such as for an unexpected fall -- based on the report N.H. Fish and Game provides, the rescue comes at no cost to the hiker. However, if it's deemed that the hiker clearly put himself or herself in a dangerous situation by not being prepared physically or equipment-wise for the hike, the person must pay.

The N.H. Supreme Court ruled in April that Edward Bacon, a Michigan man, had acted negligently while hiking the Franconia Ridge Trail in the White Mountains. Bacon's artificial hip, which reportedly had been dislocated five times -- twice in the last year -- was not suitable for the conditions of the trail, according to the court.

Because the court decided he had exceeded his physical capabilities, Bacon had to repay the more $9,000 spent by N.H. Fish and Game on his rescue.

The safety card was part of a bill approved by the N.H. Senate and House last spring as a way to provide more funding for Fish and Game's search and rescue efforts.

The law went into effect this past January.

The card costs $25 for an individual and $35 for families. All money from the cards' purchase goes to a general fund at N.H. Fish and Game, which uses the money to finance search and rescue operations.

As of Wednesday, the department has received about $50,000 from sales of the cards this year, which includes any online vendor and credit card fees.

The card has been available for more than six months, though a Newmarket woman this week was the first hiker ever to be rescued with the card, according to the Associated Press.

Deborah Bloomer, 64, hurt her ankle Sunday afternoon will descending Mount Chocura in the White Mountains in Albany. A photo of her released by N.H. Fish and Game showed her with the card, a wrapped ankle and a smile.

The average cost of these rescues, according to Walsh, is $1,958. This includes not only any resources they might have to use to get to the hiker, but the compensation for the time workers put in to get people up there.

Despite the influx of recent cases, the number of rescues is not surprising for this time of year, according to Walsh.

Walsh said his division responds to 25 to 35 search and rescue calls on average each year.

With three more months to go for the busy season, Chamberlain's advice for hikers is to the point.

"Just like you prepare for any other trip or anything else you're going to do, you just have to make sure to take care of yourself and the people you're with," he said.

Melissa Proulx can be reached at 352-1234, extension 1409, or mproulx@keenesentinel.com. Follow her on Twitter @MProulxKS.

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