When Summer Turns Deadly: A Hiker’s Brush with Hypothermia on Mount Washington
You know how everyone was complaining about the heatwave last week? Well, here’s the crazy thing—while Boston was basically melting at 95°F, a 55-year-old hiker was fighting for her life in near-freezing temps up on Mount Washington. I’m talking hurricane-force winds, ice-crusted jackets, the whole deal. And get this: rescuers had to crawl on their hands and knees because the 120 mph gusts would’ve blown them off the mountain like ragdolls. Wild, right?
How an Experienced Hiker Almost Didn’t Make It Down
She Wasn’t a Newbie—That’s the Scary Part
The woman—they haven’t released her name—wasn’t some clueless tourist. She’d hiked before. But here’s where things went sideways: she checked the weather… for the base of the mountain. Big mistake. “People don’t realize it’s like climbing into a freezer,” one of the rescue guys told me later. At 6,288 feet, the summit had wind chills of -10°F. Meanwhile, down below? Heat advisories. Like two different worlds colliding.
That Moment When Your Jacket Turns into an Ice Cube
So picture this: it’s July, you’re sweating buckets at the trailhead, and you think, “Eh, I’ll just bring a light windbreaker.” Fast forward three hours, and that same jacket’s frozen stiff. That’s exactly what happened. By the time she hit the summit, her fingers were numb, her speech was slurring—classic hypothermia signs. And that’s when she hit the SOS button on her GPS.
The Rescue: Like Something Out of a Movie
Helicopters? Forget About It
First responders actually laughed when someone suggested airlifting her out. With those winds? No shot. Instead, a team went up on foot, literally roping themselves to boulders so they wouldn’t get yeeted off the ridge. Oh, and their medical supplies froze solid. Because of course they did.
Finding Her Was Half the Battle
When they finally spotted her, she was curled up behind a rock, shaking uncontrollably. Stage 2 hypothermia—meaning her body temp had dropped to what, 90°F? Maybe lower. At that point, your organs start shutting down. Scary stuff.
Why Even Smart Hikers Get Caught
Elevation Changes Everything
Here’s the thing most people miss: for every 1,000 feet you climb, the temp drops about 3.5°F. So while it was a sauna in Pinkham Notch, the summit was colder than my ex’s heart. Add in those insane winds, and you’ve got a recipe for disaster.
The Cotton Trap
Pro tip: if you’re wearing cotton in the mountains, you’re basically carrying a sponge. Once that fabric gets wet—from sweat or snow—it’ll suck the heat right out of you. Synthetic layers or wool? Way better call.
What Happened After (And What You Can Learn)
She Got Lucky
The hiker ended up with some nasty frostbite but she’ll recover. Funny how summer’s actually the worst season for hypothermia deaths—people let their guard down when the sun’s out.
Your Packing List Needs These
If you take anything from this story, make it these three things:
- Windproof everything. That $20 rain jacket from Walmart? Not gonna cut it.
- Satellite communicator. Cell phones are useless above tree line.
- The humility to turn around. Summit fever kills people. Every. Single. Year.
Final Thought
Mountains don’t care about your plans. They don’t care that it’s July. And with climate change making weather even weirder? These stories are gonna keep happening. Pass this along—might save someone from learning the hard way.
Source: NY Post – US News
