Hikers stranded without lights after dark on Northeast’s tallest mountain
Two 18-year-old hikers were still high on Mount Washington after sunset without lights, prompting an overnight rescue that stretched into early Wednesday morning.
Brilliant fall colors covered the mountains of New York and New Hampshire, with vibrant shades of red, orange and yellow creating spectacular autumn views across the Northeast.
Two hikers caught by darkness without lights on the tallest mountain in the northeastern United States needed rescuers to help them down Tuesday night, an operation that stretched into early Wednesday morning.
Jaden Green and Yahya Algazi, both 18 and from Rochester, New York, were hiking on Mount Washington in New Hampshire, but they were still high up on the mountain by the time the sun had set. New Hampshire Fish and Game conservation officers were notified shortly after 5 p.m. ET and jumped into action.
"Upon speaking with Algazi, it was learned that the two were insufficiently prepared for their hike, to include not having lights," officials said.
Low clouds and fog had covered Mount Washington throughout Tuesday, AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Tyler Roys said. Around the time of the call for help, sustained winds were about 30 mph, with gusts reaching 35 mph and temperatures in the mid-40s F.
Snow on the top of Mount Washington is seen from the west in Jefferson, N.H., Wednesday, Oct. 13, 2010.(AP Photo/Jim Cole)
Officials told the hikers to use an emergency shelter at the Lakes of the Clouds AMC Hut, which sits above 5,000 feet in elevation. They waited at the hut until rescuers arrived at 9:14 p.m.
"Algazi and Green were warmed up and provided with food, lights and extra clothing," officials said. The hikers and rescuers reached the base of the mountain shortly before 2 a.m. local time, with everyone making it down safely.
Getting home safely may not be the end of an unprepared hiker’s ordeal in New Hampshire. State law allows officials to seek repayment for search-and-rescue costs when someone’s negligence creates the need for help.
A purchase before the trip can help avoid that expense. New Hampshire’s voluntary Hike Safe Card costs $25 per person or $35 for a family and generally protects cardholders from repayment for rescues involving negligence. The protection does not extend to reckless conduct or intentionally creating an emergency.
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