CONTACT:
Lt. James Kneeland
Sgt. Heidi Murphy
603-744-5470
603-271-3361
July 8, 2024

Lincoln, NH – At 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, July 4, a call came in to NH911 reporting a 15-year-old male suffering a medical emergency while hiking the Lonesome Lake Trail. Franconia Notch State Park personnel were able to quickly mobilize and respond a short distance up the Lonesome Lake Trail and carry the stricken male to the trailhead where they met the LinWood Ambulance. By a little after noon, the subject was being transported to Speare Memorial Hospital for evaluation.

Franconia, NH – At 12:01 p.m. on Thursday, July 4, a call came in to NH911 reporting an injured hiker on Lincoln’s Slide in Franconia. A 57-year-old male was reported to have a lower-leg injury. The calling party had hiked back to Franconia Ridge to make the call to 911 and report the incident. Lincoln Slide is not a maintained trail and Conservation Officers were advised that the injured hiker and party would try to bushwhack to the Lincoln Brook Trail where they would meet responding rescuers.

Volunteers from Pemi Valley Search and Rescue Team along with Conservation Officers responded to Lincoln Woods and prepared for a more than 5-mile carry out. As the first rescuers arrived in the area of Lincoln Brook and the Black Pond Trail, they met the injured hiker being assisted down the trail by his companions. Rescuers continued to assist the hiker to waiting ATVs at the Black Pond Trail. The hiker was brought out the last 2+ miles by ATV and arrived at Lincoln Woods at 5:30 p.m. The hiker was identified as James Boule of Campton, New Hampshire. Boule is a very experienced hiker and had purchased a Hike Safe card. He was transported by his companions for further evaluation of his injury.

Franconia, NH – At 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, July 4, a third call came in to NH911 reporting a 27- year-old female who was injured on the Falling Waters Trail about 2 miles from the trailhead. A Conservation Officer was diverted from the Lincoln Slide rescue to respond to the Falling Waters Trail to render aid and assistance. While waiting for help, the hiker was assisted by several passers-by, and slowly began to descend the trail. Once the responding Conservation Officer arrived at their location, he provided first aid and assisted the hiker down the trail back to the parking lot where they arrived around 4:00 p.m.

The hiker, identified as Ruby Rhoad, of Hummelstown, Pennsylvania, was ascending the trail as part of a commonly hiked loop to Mt. Lafayette when she fell on a steep and wet section of trail next to the river and sustained a non-life-threatening injury that made it difficult to continue her hike or to descend. After the fall and assessing the injury, a call was placed to 911 by her partner for assistance off of the mountain. Rhoad and her partner were experienced, well-equipped hikers for the terrain, conditions, and hike that they had planned for the day.

Bethlehem, NH – Just before 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, July 4, a fourth call came in to NH911 from the area of Mt. Tom in Bethlehem. A 24-year-old woman had sustained a lower-leg injury from falling on the A-Z Trail near the spur trail to Mt. Tom. Due to lack of cell coverage, her hiking companion hiked back up toward Mt. Tom to call for help as the injured hiker was unable to bear weight on her leg. The hiker was identified as Mackenzie O’Rourke of Foster, RI.

NH Fish and Game Conservation Officers were already engaged in two other rescue calls when O’Rourke suffered her injury. One Conservation Officer was pulled from another rescue to gather volunteers from the Pemigewasset Valley Search and Rescue Team and the Androscoggin Valley Search and Rescue Team to carry O’Rourke off Mt. Tom. By 4:30 p.m., rescue crews had hiked up approximately 2 miles of trail to stabilize and package O’Rourke for the carry-out. O’Rourke safely arrived back at the trailhead at approximately 7:30 p.m. She was transported by a friend to seek further medical evaluation and treatment.

Today was a great reminder that the NH Fish and Game Department relies heavily on our volunteer groups. The members are capable and hard-working individuals who don’t hesitate to give up their free time to help others in need. More than thirty volunteers took part in rescues on this 4th of July. Outdoor enthusiasts are encouraged to purchase a Hike Safe card at wildnh.com/safe. The card helps support Fish and Game search and rescue activities.