New Hampshire Hiker Rescued by Sled
A Massachusetts hiker had to be rescued by sled near Lonesome Lake in New Hampshire's White Mountains after slipping on ice. In Georgia, another hiker was airlifted after an eight-hour rescue effort on the Appalachian Trail. Both incidents underscore the inherent risks of winter hiking in mountainous regions and highlight the critical role of search and rescue teams in remote wilderness areas.
- The hiker in New Hampshire was identified as 72-year-old Steven Gabis of Clinton, Massachusetts; he was with a well-prepared group and had stayed the night at the Lonesome Lake Hut before slipping on ice and injuring his leg. - His rescue involved a New Hampshire Fish and Game Conservation Officer and eight volunteers from the Pemigewasset Valley Search and Rescue Team, who transported him one-and-a-half miles in a rescue sled. - In Georgia, the 46-year-old hiker became ill and was unable to walk on the Appalachian Trail near Hawk Mountain on Saturday, February 21st. - The Georgia rescue was a complex, multi-agency operation that concluded after more than eight hours; it required a "technical carry-out" using a stokes basket before the man was airlifted by a Georgia Department of Natural Resources helicopter using a long-line. - Recent winter storms in late January had left the Georgia section of the Appalachian Trail with hazardous conditions, including downed trees and unstable footing. - In New Hampshire, hikers and climbers account for approximately 62% of all search and rescue missions conducted by the state's Fish and Game department. - New Hampshire Fish and Game averages 190 search and rescue missions per year, with an average cost of $1,635 for each mission.
