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Accident Reports

Appalachia, Summer/Fall 2006

Hikers Caught in Storm on Mount Madison
On May 29, 2005, Nicholas E., 17, and Joseph S., 17, started up the Daniel Webster Trail to Mount Madison at 11:00 a.m. wearing jeans and cotton shirts, and carrying neither raingear nor compass, though they did have a flashlight. They summitted Mount Madison at 3:30 p.m., where they were caught by a thunderstorm (which had been forecast) with small hail. They sought shelter amongst the large boulders in the summit area. After the worst of the storm passed, they began their descent. They took a wrong trail at a junction (Fish and Game assumed that they took the Howker Ridge Trail), where they encountered snowfields and realized that they had taken the wrong trail. They eventually reached the Watson Path, probably by the Pine Link Trail. At this point they were able to identify their location and began following that trail towards the Valley Way Trail.

At about 10:30 p.m., they reached Snyder Brook, which was swollen due to recent heavy rains. They had serious difficulty crossing the brook but had the immense good fortune to find two hikers who had a rope and helped them cross the brook. Joseph S. lost one of his boots in the water, while Nicholas E. lost both. The two hikers who had helped them set up a tent and shared it with them until the next morning. At 6:30 a.m., all four descended together, and their rescuers drove them to Dolly Copp Campground where the two teenagers were staying. The rescuers left without speaking to the Fish and Game officials coordinating the rescue.

Neither young person suffered any injuries in spite of having walked down the Valley Way Trail wearing only multiple pairs of socks.

Comment: The combination of a late start, inappropriate clothing, and ignoring the weather forecast set them up for a drenching on the summit. This may have contributed to their navigational error, which was the cause of their subsequent problems. As soon as they encountered snowfields that they had not seen on the way up, they realized that they were on the wrong trail. It is not clear why they chose the Pine Link Trail, which got them to the Watson Path, where they finally were able to identify their location. They were extremely fortunate in finding help when they reached the brook and in obtaining shelter for the night.

A full listing of Accident Reports may be found in the Summer/Fall 2006 issue of Appalachia.

- Mohamed Ellozy, "Accidents" Editor