A Mount Washington hiker was rescued over the weekend after injuring himself slipping on icy terrain. William Tessier, 29, of Quebec City, was making his way down the mountain with friends on Saturday when he fell off the Jewell Trail around 3:45 p.m. He sustained multiple injuries and the group called 911 for help. Emergency responders from several search and rescue teams responded.
Rescuers took the Cog Railway to approach the scene but still faced nasty conditions as the made their final approach on foot, hiking nearly 1 mile through ice coated terrain above 5,000 feet with winds blowing up to 60 mph. Rescuers reached Tessier at 7:24 p.m. He was immediately treated for leg and shoulder injuries and hypothermia and then they then began their “herculean task” of getting the injured hiker back to the Cog Railway.
20 rescuers took turns carrying the man uphill battling the winds and ice along the way. Rescue team members were injured during the final portion of the rescue. The rescue crew finally arrived at train at 10:15 p.m. and arrived at the Base Station shortly after. The hiker was then transported to Littleton Regional Healthcare for further treatment.
Mount Washington Cog Railway had this to say about the operation:
“There was another heroic hiker rescue operation Saturday night, jointly conducted by NH Fish and Game officers, and volunteers from Androscoggin Valley Search and Rescue, Pemigewassett Valley Search and Rescue, and Mountain Rescue Services.
The Cog provided transportation for the team and the injured hiker to and from Skyline, which was the closest point on our tracks to where the incident occurred. As late night, cold-weather rescues go, the conditions were utterly brutal. But thanks to the combined efforts and cooperation of all concerned, we were able to bring everyone down quickly and safely, and the injured hiker was rushed to the hospital.
If one was necessary, it’s yet another reminder that no matter how well-prepared you may be, accidents up here can have deadly consequences. Once again, our hats are off to these folks who put themselves in harm’s way at a moment’s notice– they literally embody the line between success and tragedy.”
Read the full press release from the NH Fish and Game Department Law Enforcement Division below.
Conservation Officers, volunteers from Androscoggin Valley Search and Rescue (AVSAR), Pemigewassett Valley Search & Rescue (PEMI SAR), Mountain Rescue Services (MRS), and a COG Railway personnel responded to a call of a hiker with multiple injuries off the north side of Jewell Trail, not far from Mt. Clay, Saturday afternoon. The hiker had reportedly slipped and fallen in the icy conditions and slid several feet off trail before striking an object. The hiker identified as William Tessier, 29, from Carignan, QC was descending after summiting Mt. Washington and was hiking with 4 other companions.
The incident occurred at approximately 3:45 p.m. and a call for help was made by Tessier via 911. Fish & Game reached out to the Cog Railway for assistance in relaying rescuers up the train tracks to where the Westside Trail crosses the tracks known as Skyline. The Cog has always been willing to help in every rescue situation and this time they provided a train which saved rescuers from having to hike nearly 3 miles up the Jewell Trail in rain, icy and windy conditions to access Tessier. The Cog took rescuers up the tracks in two separate groups. Rescuers still had to hike nearly a mile encountering high winds and icy conditions across the ridge above 5000 feet elevation the whole time.
The first rescuers arrived at Tessier at 7:24 p.m. They treated him for a leg injury, shoulder injury and hypothermia. After treating him, he was placed in a litter and carried uphill back across Gulfside Trail to Skyline. This was a herculean task: 20 rescuers took turns carrying Tessier uphill into 40 to 60+ mile per hour winds across ice covered rocks. There were injuries suffered from rescuers in this task. Fortunately, the rescue crew made it to the train at 10:15 p.m. without further incident.
Tessier and the rescue team arrived at the Base Station at 10:45 p.m., where he was transferred into the Twin Mountain Ambulance and transported to Littleton Regional Healthcare for treatment.
Without the dedicated SAR volunteers from AVSAR, PEMI SAR, MRS and the Cog Railway’s willingness to help, this rescue mission would not have gone as well as it did. The weather was terrible and the conditions were potentially life threatening, but each group responded to the call for assistance and endured less than hospitable weather conditions to save the life of this hiker.
