Dozens of unprepared hikers brought down by Cog Railway from Mount Washington
By Mike Moses
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MOUNT WASHINGTON, New Hampshire (WMUR) — First responders are warning anyone heading up Mount Washington to be prepared after dozens of hikers were brought down the Mount Washington Cog Railway this weekend.
Andy Vilaine and his team at the Cog Railway helped the hikers who were caught off guard by winter conditions make it back to the base.
“Number of folks we’re in the early stages of hypothermia, confused about what the offerings and availabilities would be at the top in terms of shelter and rides down,” Vilaine said.
New Hampshire Fish and Game also helped some hikers in distress.
“It’s literally life or death situation. If they go up there unprepared,” Lt. Mark Ober with New Hampshire Fish and Game said.
Ober said a group of Canadian hikers in sweatpants and sneakers tried to get into the Summit Building, which is now closed to the public for the season, along with the Mount Washington Auto Road.
“People should not be hiking unless they’re fully prepared. Part of that preparation is doing research and finding out what the conditions are. The Mount Washington Observatory has a great website that tells you up-to-date conditions at the time,” he said.
Grace Mardo and her friends, former SNHU athletes, planned out all the details for their Mount Washington adventure and weren’t surprised to learn of the more than two dozen hiker rescues.
“So we had a lot of layers, gloves, hats, things like that,” one of Mardo’s friends said.
The Mount Washington Cog Railway will help hikers with a ride down if there is room, but it costs the price of a one-way ticket.
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