Two friends, experienced hikers, had previously conquered New Hampshire’s Mount Washington trail a month ago. This time, they returned to hike it again on Sunday after exploring nearby peaks in the White Mountains. They were an hour behind their planned descent and were running out of daylight, but they were well-equipped with warm clothes, headlamps, and other necessary gear.
However, conditions took a turn for the worse. The wind picked up, the temperature dropped, and they found themselves trudging through waist-deep snow and caught in whiteout conditions. They became lost on Mount Washington, the highest peak in the Northeast, notorious for its unpredictable and harsh weather.
Amy Cotter, a weather observer and education specialist with the Mount Washington Observatory at the summit, explained how easily the snow could be whipped up in those conditions, with no surface for it to settle on, making navigation even more difficult.
Kathryn McKee’s snowshoe got caught in what’s known as a “spruce trap,” which is a hole formed in the snow beneath trees.
Kathryn McKee remembered that it took about 20 minutes to free herself from the trap. She explained that it kept happening, and at one point, they found themselves crawling on their stomachs, struggling to make progress. Despite their efforts, they were unable to continue moving forward effectively.
After struggling for about an hour, McKee, 51, from Southborough, Massachusetts, and Beata LeLacheur, 54, from Westborough, Massachusetts, decided to call 911. They got in touch with New Hampshire Fish and Game conservation officers, who used their GPS coordinates to guide them toward the trail, which was only 34 feet away. However, they couldn’t find it.
Sgt. Matthew Holmes from the Fish and Game Department explained that although the hikers reached the trail multiple times, the wind and snow had completely obscured it. After several attempts to locate the trail and several phone calls starting at around 6 p.m., the women had no choice but to huddle together in the snow for warmth while waiting for help.
At the summit, temperatures had dropped to 2 degrees below zero (-19°C), with winds ranging from 50 to 60 mph (80 to 96 kph), according to Holmes. McKee and LeLacheur found themselves stranded at an elevation of about 5,000 feet (1,524 meters).
McKee recalled wearing gloves with liners, but the extreme cold caused her hands to freeze. “I went into my first aid kit to grab the emergency blanket and extra hand warmers, but I couldn’t open the chest because my hands were frozen,” she said.
The two were exposed to the harsh winds for about six hours. McKee expressed her fear for both their lives, saying, “I was terrified that my friend may pass away in front of me, or I might pass away. How did we get here? You do think about that, but you can’t stay in that thought process because it won’t help you get out. So we just kept focusing on what’s the next thing we can do.”
To protect themselves, they used a bag as a wind shield. McKee wrapped herself in a covering meant for sleeping mats and bags. “I was buried in snow at that point, so it acted as an insulator, which helped. But it also meant I was immobile and unable to move,” she explained.
Late Sunday, a snowcat vehicle from Mount Washington State Park, typically used for grooming ski resort slopes, began the journey up the mountain’s auto road with nine rescuers onboard. It reached the summit just before midnight. The rescue team then put on snowshoes and battled through deep snow to reach the trail. They arrived at the hikers’ last known location at 1:20 a.m. on Monday, but still hadn’t made contact with them.
According to Holmes, GPS navigation was the only way to locate the trail, and progress was slow as breaking trail through the deep snow was physically demanding.
Around 1:50 a.m., the two hikers were found. Both had suffered frostbite, primarily on their hands. Rescuers quickly set up emergency shelters for them, and by 3 a.m., McKee and LeLacheur were able to move on their own. By 4:15 a.m., the hikers and rescuers made their way down to the base station of the Cog Railway, a locomotive that transports passengers to the summit of Mount Washington.
Holmes stated that both women were well-prepared for a winter hike, equipped with emergency gear and having prior winter hiking experience. However, they did not anticipate losing the trail. McKee and LeLacheur had also received hiking training from the Appalachian Mountain Club’s Worcester, Massachusetts chapter.
McKee expressed regret about needing to call 911 but acknowledged it ultimately saved their lives, and they were extremely grateful for the help. Both women stated they would continue hiking in the White Mountains, with plans to add a small pop-up tent to their gear for emergency shelter.
McKee reflected on their experience, saying, “You either get back on the horse, or you don’t.” She emphasized that while she would return to hiking, she would do so with a focus on safety, understanding the risks involved.