‘Unprepared’ Mount Washington hiker breaks silence after 11-hour rescue mission
A Mount Washington hiker acknowledged his lack of preparedness for the challenging conditions and expressed gratitude to rescuers who spent 11 hours on a mission to save him.
Cole Matthes, 22, found himself in trouble while hiking on Mount Washington in New Hampshire last Saturday. He veered off his trail, encountered a patch of snow-covered ice, and slid hundreds of feet down a ravine around 11:50 am, according to the Associated Press.
Matthes admitted to having ample hiking experience but not in harsh winter conditions. The New Hampshire Fish and Game, in a news release, criticized his "numerous poor decisions," citing his lack of proper gear, equipment, and weather planning, which endangered not only himself but also 11 others who participated in the rescue effort.
Despite calling 911 for help after his fall, poor reception hindered effective communication. Eventually, GPS tracking enabled rescuers to locate him in a drainage ravine far from the trail. The rescue operation, facilitated by Mount Washington's Cog Railway, battled extreme conditions, including winds up to 90mph and subzero temperatures.
Rescuers found Matthes suffering from hypothermia at an emergency shelter, where frozen layers of clothing testified to his ordeal. After several hours of warming and assistance, he was brought down the mountain and treated for hypothermia and frostbite at the Cog Railway base station.
Matthes, despite witnessing other hikers turn back due to the worsening weather, pressed on with his group. He acknowledged his decision-making errors and expressed remorse for the risk and effort others undertook to save him.
The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department emphasized the importance of preparedness in mountain hiking and underscored the gravity of Matthes' situation, noting that without the rescue effort, another tragedy could have been added to the mountain's grim tally of fatalities.
Commenti