3 days ago
Hypothermic Texas woman rescued on Mount Washington amid 120 m.p.h. winds, freezing temperatures
Conditions on Mount Washington that day were 'dangerous' at high elevations with winds reaching 120 m.p.h. and temperatures of 20 degrees near the summit,
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To reach Wilson, rescuers had to hike through the driving winds and clouds on Mount Washington, the tallest peak in the Northeast at 6,288 feet.
The Cog Railway, a small train that climbs to the summit, carried two rescue teams most of the way, up to a point known as Skyline, where the train tracks intersect with the Westside Trail, the department said.
From there, rescuers continued on foot to reach Wilson, who was stranded on the Gulfside Trail.
Rescuers 'had to hike over a mile, encountering high winds and cloudy conditions across the ridge above 5,000 feet of elevation the whole time,' officials said.
The woman was initially treated in a temporary shelter to help her warm up, then carried on a stretcher back to the awaiting train car.
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She was taken to Littleton Regional Healthcare for treatment, according to the release.
Elsewhere in New Hampshire's presidential range on Friday, rescuers helped several other hikers suffering hypothermic symptoms, state officials said.
The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department posted the press release about Wilson's rescue to one of its Facebook pages, where it received more than 30 comments criticizing the woman's decision to hike to such a high elevation amid severe conditions.
'We are incredibly fortunate to have such skilled and committed teams ready to respond in times of need. That said, putting rescuers in harm's way for a preventable situation is unacceptable,' one Facebook user posted.
Other users commented that the woman should be billed the cost of the rescue mission.
Claire Thornton can be reached at
