CONTACT:
Lieutenant Mark Ober
603-788-4850
603-271-3361
February 27, 2025

Low & Burbank’s Grant, NH – A hiker was rescued from the Valley Way Trail Thursday evening after getting lost off trail and losing his boot. Officials reported that Aiden Shaw, 17, from Stratham, NH, was descending Valley Way Trail when he lost the trail and became mired in deep snow. After multiple attempts to guide Shaw back onto the trail over the phone failed, a rescue was initiated utilizing conservation officers and volunteer rescue personnel from Androscoggin Valley Search and Rescue (AVSAR).

Shaw had been attempting a Presidential Traverse with two other companions when the trio decided to forgo the full traverse and return the way they had started. During this, Shaw suffered some type of boot malfunction. He made it to Madison Hut at approximately 4:00 p.m. when he decided to call 911 for help. At this point, some rescuers were going to respond to replace his boot, and Shaw convinced his companions to continue down Valley Way while he waited for the rescue. Shaw was advised that a boot malfunction did not constitute an emergency, and he would have to improvise to secure his boot and continue down Valley Way Trail.

At approximately 5:00 p.m., Shaw called 911 again and stated that he was now lost off trail near Snyder Brook and didn’t know which way to go. After attempting to talk Shaw back onto the trail, which was approximately 200 feet from his location, he stated that he was too wet, cold, and exhausted to carry on and claimed he could not physically continue.

At this point a rescue response was initiated. A message was relayed to Shaw’s hiking companions that he needed help, and they agreed to turn around and hike back up over ½ mile in an effort to locate and assist him.

After multiple calls in an attempt to persuade Shaw to reach the trail, he was finally able to reach Valley Way Trail. In doing so, he had abandoned his pack with all his gear, including his external light source. Fortunately as the first volunteer rescuers were heading up from the bottom, Shaw’s hiking companions located him and were able to get him warmed up enough to start slowly moving down the trail.

At 8:17 p.m., AVSAR volunteers arrived at Shaw’s position some 2.4 miles from the parking lot, treated his foot for cold weather injuries, and provided him with footwear so he could continue the hike down. They arrived down at the parking lot at 10:36 p.m.

Shaw and his hiking companions had good winter gear including snowshoes and sleeping bags, but did not have a shelter. They had planned on hiking straight through without camping, but realized that plans change in the high peaks during the winter months and turned around near Thunderstorm Junction. The hikers did possess Hike Safe cards.