Florida Man, 79, Found Dead After Disappearing on Mount Washington Summit

Visitors tour a weather station on Mount Washington’s lower slopes in New Hampshire

A 79-year-old man from Jacksonville, Florida, was found dead Friday morning following an extensive three-day search after he went missing near the summit of Mount Washington in New Hampshire. The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department confirmed the tragic outcome after deploying helicopters, drones, and dozens of ground personnel in a challenging operation atop one of New England’s most popular mountain destinations.

William Davis had reached the summit Wednesday afternoon via the Mount Washington Cog Railway. He was last seen around 3:20 p.m. near the visitor center, moments after taking a photograph with his wife. He reportedly separated from her and walked toward the trail area alone. Davis later made a brief phone call to a state park employee, stating that he was off-trail and describing his surroundings but was unable to provide a precise location. The call was cut short when his phone battery died.

Fog blankets the upper section of the Mount Washington Cog Railway near the summit in Sargent’s Purchase, N.H

Search teams were alerted around 6 p.m. Wednesday and launched immediate efforts on the western side of the summit. Personnel from the Fish and Game Department, park rangers, and volunteers from Androscoggin Valley Search and Rescue (AVSAR) scoured the area using drones and ground patrols through the night and into early Thursday.

Adverse weather conditions—fog, strong winds, and reduced visibility—hampered progress. By Friday, the search had expanded to the mountain’s eastern and southern slopes amid worsening weather, with temperatures in the low 40s and wind chill near freezing.

Mount Washington is notorious for its unpredictable weather and rugged terrain, which can turn perilous even in summer. While the summit is accessible by car and train, trails near the visitor center can quickly become hazardous to inexperienced hikers. The area sees dozens of rescues annually.

The Pinkham Notch Visitor Center is shown on a clear autumn day in New Hampshire’s White Mountain National Forest

Around 11 a.m. on Friday, AVSAR volunteers discovered Davis’s body approximately 400 feet off the Lion Head Trail, in the rocky expanse between the Alpine Garden and Tuckerman Ravine Trails. Authorities stated that Davis appeared to have sustained a serious fall. A nearby New Hampshire Army National Guard Black Hawk helicopter, already on a training mission, was able to assist in the recovery during a brief weather break.

An autopsy is pending at the state medical examiner’s office. Officials have not determined how Davis ended up in the remote location where he was found.

The Fish and Game Department thanked all the volunteers and staff for their tireless efforts and expressed condolences to Davis’s family.