Published April 22, 2026 03:47PM<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Following the death of a solo hiker in the White Mountains, New Hampshire officials are issuing stark warnings about the region\u2019s deceptive and unforgiving spring weather.<\/p>\n
A search operation launched on April 21 ended that same evening, when rescuers found the body of Kent Wood, a 61-year-old hiker from Massachusetts.<\/p>\n
The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department<\/a> (NHFG) told Outside <\/em>that Wood drove to Franconia Notch<\/a> State Park, a 6,700-acre mountain area, on Friday, April 17, for a weekend of solo camping. Rescuers found his body five miles from his parked car, along a steep, rocky trail leading to an alpine ridge.<\/p>\n Woods is one of at least eight hikers who ran into trouble in the area last weekend.<\/p>\n \u201cPeople doing what they think is a \u2018quick spring hike\u2019 can very easily find themselves on a very challenging, winter-condition hike,\u201d NHFG Lieutenant Robert Mancini told Outside<\/em>. Mancini has served with the agency\u2019s search-and-rescue team since 2011. He said many hikers encounter trouble when they fail to bring adequate supplies.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you don\u2019t have the proper gear, knowledge, and experience, that can prove deadly, and it\u2019s proven deadly just about every year I\u2019ve been a conservation officer,\u201d Mancini said.<\/p>\n This year, on April 20, rescuers saved a hiker on a trail in White Mountain National Forest. Two days earlier, they rescued two teenage hikers from the summit of Mount Washington and helped a solo hiker after she fractured her ankle on Mount Chocorua. The day before, they saved three more hikers from a trail in Franconia Notch. The rescues serve as a reminder of a cardinal rule of the White Mountains: while the calendar might say spring at the trailhead, up high it\u2019s often a different story.<\/p>\n \u201cThe conditions down in the parking lot can differ greatly from the conditions in these summits,\u201d Mancini said. \u201cThere can be waist-deep snow in the higher summits, even in April, when the trailhead is bare.\u201d<\/p>\n Covering roughly a quarter of northern New Hampshire and part of western Maine, the White Mountains encompass more than 1,200 miles of hiking trails. Mount Washington, at 6,288 feet, crowns the region. As the tallest peak in the northeastern U.S., it produces some of the worst weather<\/a> in the country.<\/p>\n Authorities said Wood planned for warm spring conditions\u2014not the several inches of snow and subfreezing temperatures that arrived in the area during his trip. Unlike winter, when harsh conditions are more anticipated, in the spring months, hikers are often fooled by mild temperatures at the trailhead. Unbeknownst to them, deep snow and blizzards often await up high.<\/p>\n \u201cMarch is famous for icy morning trails, soft and collapsing snow in the midday sun, postholing hazards, hidden water crossings, and freezing rain, and that extends into April,\u201d Mancini said. \u201cThere are very wet, windy conditions, and hypothermia risk, and you can always get a snowstorm that comes in and drops three to four inches of snow in a couple of hours.\u201d<\/p>\n Beyond checking the weather and researching routes in advance, Mancini said visitors need to prepare for the worst. All hikers should bring the ten essentials<\/a>, a backcountry packing list that includes items like navigation tools, a light, and first-aid supplies. Outdoor adventurers should also dress for all types of weather.<\/p>\n \u201cYou have to layer with intention,\u201d Mancini said. \u201cYou need a moisture-wicking base layer, breathable midlayers, a waterproof, windproof shell, and a packable insulation layer for those extended stops along the trail, whether it\u2019s to check your navigation, change out your gloves, or put on a hat or goggles.\u201d<\/p>\n Hikers should also always carry an emergency shelter.<\/p>\n \u201cEven if you don\u2019t intend to do an overnight hike, in this shoulder season you should have some life-saving equipment that will keep you safe,\u201d Mancini said. He suggested\u00a0a lightweight sleeping bag and some type of tarp for protection from exposure.<\/p>\nThe Deadly Reality of New Hampshire\u2019s Shoulder Season<\/h2>\n
How Can Hikers Stay Safe in the White Mountains?<\/h2>\n