68-year-old hiker got lost in remote wilderness. How his phone helped crews reach him

Makiya Seminera
·2 min read
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A man’s cellphone helped him get rescued when he got lost in a New Hampshire park, wildlife officials say.

The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department received a report of a lost hiker in Wapack National Wildlife Refuge, which is in Greenfield, at around noon on Oct. 2, according to the department’s Oct. 3 news release.

The 68-year-old man, of Peterborough, had planned to spend the day hiking at the refuge but had gotten lost on his trek. Responders with 911 gave the man’s phone GPS coordinates to N.H. Fish and Game officials, the release said.

His coordinates were between Wapack Trail and Carolyn’s Trail, officials said, which was a rural area “below the summit of North Pack Monadnock Mountain.” The mountain is almost 2,300 feet high, according to U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.

With the help of the local police department, fire department and sheriff’s office, officials began to track down the man with the coordinates they were given. They hiked along the man’s “last known location” near Mountain Road.

“Due to (the man) having full battery life on his cell phone, officers were able to stay in contact with him,” officials said in the release.

About an hour and half after the first report was received, the man was found “within 300 feet of his last known location,” officials said. He was taken out of the area, and the group returned to Mountain Road about 30 minutes after they found him.

“(The man) was not injured in the incident and was cleared by medical personnel from the Greenfield Fire Department,” the release says.

Just a day earlier, New Hampshire Fish and Game rescued another hiker who was lost at nearby Monadnock State Park. A conservation officer guided her over the phone on how to get back on the right path, as she had entered an area of the park that was “very rural with minimal to no trails,” the Oct. 1 release said.

New Hampshire Fish and Game did not immediately respond to McClatchy News’ request for comment on Oct. 6.

New Hampshire Fish and Game have several tips to prevent dangerous situations while hiking. Some of those suggestions include:

  • Keep group sizes small for outdoor trips.

  • If you feel sick, stay at home and go explore another day.

  • Opt for lower-risk activities to avoid injuries.

  • Do not litter.

  • Bring plenty of food and water for your trip, in addition to other essentials such as hand sanitizer, a first-aid kit, rain jacket, whistle, pocket knife and a map.

Greenfield is about 25 miles west of Manchester.

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