CONTACT:
Lieutenant Mark Ober
603-788-4850
603-271-3361
May 3, 2024

Thompson & Meserves Purchase, NH – Thursday at approximately 10:45 a.m., the NH Fish and Game Department was notified of an overdue and possibly lost hiker somewhere in the Great Gulf Wilderness. The hiker was reported missing by his employer, and they indicated that the last contact with him was well off trail in the vicinity of the Buttress Trail.

The hiker, identified as William Morin, 38, of Farmington, NH, was attempting a northern presidential traverse, which he began on Monday morning, with the intention of completing it on Wednesday. During this attempt, he became turned around and ended up taking Star Lake Trail to the Buttress Trail, which is seldom used and not well marked. Due to the weather and trail conditions, Morin chose to abandon his attempt and ended up well off trail on the steep slopes of the Great Gulf. His last communication was that he was going to try and find his way out to a road, but had not been heard from in over 30 hours.

A rescue response was initiated and a Conservation Officer and member of the Androscoggin Valley Search and Rescue team (AVSAR) hiked in via Great Gulf Trail 2.5 miles and then hiked off trail for nearly a mile in an attempt to locate him. The search crews went to his last known position then followed his tracks down to the edge of the Peabody River where they found him in his tent attempting to stay warm at 6:00 p.m. All his clothing and gear was soaking wet from the rain over the past couple days. He was provided with warm, dry layers, food, and energy drinks. From there they guided him out down to the Great Gulf Trail and ultimately out to the trailhead. The rescue crew arrived out at 10:00 p.m.

Morin was prepared with a tent, sleeping bag, and most of the ten essentials to accomplish an overnight hike. But the rainy weather conditions along with sections of still deep snow hampered his progress and ultimately led him to try and find an alternate route around the higher summits, which put him into the Great Gulf. Morin was taken to a hospital by private vehicle as a precautionary measure.