New Hampshire conservation officers traversed icy mountain trails Sunday to assist an injured hiker, an injured rock climber, and two other hikers who were at risk for hypothermia in separate incidents, officials said.
The first report, at around 8 a.m., alerted officers that a hiker who spent the night on the Falling Waters trail near Franconia Ridge with a partner had become hypothermic.
“Not having appropriate overnight gear and temperatures that dropped into the low 30s overnight led to one of the hikers having difficulty moving,” the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department said in a statement.
A team conducting a training exercise in the area were sent to help the hikers, a 23-year-old Tewksbury man and a 24-year-old woman from Dorchester. The team reached them by 1 p.m. and gave them heat and traction for their shoes, officials said.
Advertisement
An hour later, officials were alerted to a hiker who had injured himself the day before on Mt. Garfield and was unable to complete his trip. The Moriches, N.Y., man had slid more than 30 feet down an icy trail, officials said.
Conservation officers met him and his hiking partner and took them to the bottom of the trail on an ATV. The injured man was taken to the hospital.
Around 2:30 p.m., a 31-year-old Thornton, N.H. man was injured while rock climbing. Officials believe a rock at Artists Bluff in Franconia Notch became dislodged from thawing ice and hit him. He was taken to the hospital for treatment.
The department urged hikers to use caution and properly prepare for the environment.
“Hikers and outdoor enthusiasts are reminded that icy trails persist at elevation and temperatures drop rapidly after dark,” the statement said.
J.D. Capelouto can be reached at jd.capelouto@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @jdcapelouto.