CONTACT:
Conservation Officer Rachael Stocker
603-788-4850
603-271-3361
August 21, 2024

Pinkham’s Grant, NH – During the early morning hours of Wednesday, August 21, 2024, Conservation Officers from the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department conducted a rescue effort on behalf of a wet and cold hiker who was stuck off trail next to the Ellis River.

At approximately 10:45 p.m., on Tuesday, August 20, officers received a call from 911 indicating that a young woman was wet, cold, and stuck down a steep embankment along the Ellis River adjacent to the Tuckerman Ravine Trail. Attempted callbacks to the hiker were unsuccessful, and authorities quickly mobilized to avoid the dangers of a hypothermic situation. Temperatures in Pinkham Notch hovered around 52°F at the time of the call, with lower temps expected prior to dawn.

Rescuers arrived at the Tuckerman Ravine trailhead shortly after midnight and began hiking toward the location given for the caller, which was approximately 0.5 miles from the AMC Pinkham Notch Visitor Center. At 1:20 a.m. on Wednesday, rescuers located the hiker on the opposite side of the Ellis River from the Tuckerman Ravine Trail. The hiker, identified as Christine Beaulieu, age 37, of Laval, Quebec, was found to be very cold and wet. She was immediately given warm clothing and assisted back across the river to the trail. Although extremely fatigued, Beaulieu was able to hike down the trail with rescuers, arriving safely at the Pinkham Notch Visitor Center at 2:25 a.m.

Rescuers learned that the catalyst for this incident was a lack of a headlamp or flashlight. Once daylight ran out, Beaulieu decided to follow the Ellis River down Mt. Washington as she could not see the hiking trail. During this process she fell into the water, got soaking wet, and lost a shoe. Beaulieu feared for her life, which was well founded given the falling temperatures and hours before sun up. Authorities are glad that the situation turned out as well as it did.

New Hampshire Fish and Game reminds hikers to prepare themselves before venturing out into the wilderness, including packing the ten essential items: map, compass, warm clothing, extra food and water, headlamp, fire starter, first aid kit, whistle, rain/wind jackets and pants, and a knife. For additional information, please visit www.hikeSafe.com.