CONTACT:
Sgt. Heidi Murphy
603-744-5470
603-271-3361
June 3, 2024

Franconia, NH – At approximately 9:15 a.m. on June 1, 2024, the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department was notified of a hiker who needed assistance off Falling Waters Trail in Franconia. The hiker was identified as Jacob Winn, 25, of Manchester, NH. Winn was hiking with his father, and their intended hike was the popular 9-mile Franconia Ridge Loop. They began to ascend the Falling Waters Trail and had hiked approximately 2.3 miles when Winn suffered a potentially life-threatening medical emergency. Winn’s father was able to call 911 for assistance.

The NH Army National Guard Blackhawk was requested to respond due to the severity of the emergency. Conservation Officers also began to respond to Winn’s location to assist the NH Army National Guard. The NH Army National Guard flight crew arrived at Winn’s location 11:30 a.m. They were able to extract Winn using the jungle penetrator, hoisting him into the helicopter where he was brought to Dartmouth Health in Lebanon for further evaluation and treatment.

Winn and his father were well prepared for their hike. They had hiked this same loop several times in the past and knew the terrain. They carried the proper gear to alert the NH Army National Guard of their location during the rescue and had purchased HikeSafe cards at the beginning of the year. For additional information about the HikeSafe program please visit www.hikesafe.com.