A 22-year-old hiker found himself in a life-threatening situation after venturing into the treacherous terrains of Mount Washington this past weekend. Cole Matthes of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, faced off against the unforgiving New Hampshire wilderness, triggering a rescue effort that unfolded over almost 12 hours on Saturday, according to The Boston Globe.
After taking a fall in the Ammonusuc Ravine, Mount Washington's savage western slope, Matthes made an emergency 911 call around 11:50 a.m. The call set in motion a complex rescue, engaging 11 responders from New Hampshire Fish and Game, the Androscoggin Valley Search and Rescue Team, and the Mountain Rescue Service, as reported by NBC Boston. Battling through wind chills that clocked in at a bone-chilling -52 F, and winds that roared at over 90 MPH, the rescue team charted their way to Matthes’ provided GPS coordinates.
The young hiker was not ready for the mountain's brutal winter conditions, and according to New Hampshire Fish and Game, he did not have proper gear, equipment, weather planning, and or proper critical decisions to keep himself out of harm’s way and moving in the right direction on a dangerous mountain range. This lack of preparedness nearly cost Matthes his life on the frostbitten slopes of Mount Washington.
Matthes informed the team that he had moved to the Lakes in the Clouds Hut, taking shelter in an emergency shelter below the building. Upon arrival at 6:17 p.m., the rescue squad found Matthes not injured, but rather incapacitated by hypothermia and clad in a host of frozen attire, “many layers of frozen clothes to include frozen hiking shoes,” according to NBC Boston. It took three laborious hours to carefully warm Matthes and liberate him from his icy garments.
Matthes' return to safety was facilitated by the Cog Railway, which carried the group down the mountain, completing their descent close to 10:50 p.m. New Hampshire Fish and Game stated, "If it was not for the willingness and timeliness of The Cog Railway, the rescuers, and others, Matthes would have undoubtedly died on the mountain," Once at the base, emergency medical technicians addressed his condition, treating the young hiker for hypothermia and frostbite. Stubbornly, Matthes declined further medical treatment and was taken to his vehicle at 11:38 p.m., capping off a day where human determination braved the fierce elements of nature.
