Hiker Found 'Extremely Hypothermic' After Calling 911 to Say He 'Could No Longer Move' and His 'Limbs Were Frozen'

Mar. 15, 2025

Sgt. 1st Class Ethan Major, a flight medic with the New Army National Guard, secures an air rescue vest on stricken hiker Patrick Bittman during a rescue on Little Haystack mountain in Franconia Range Dec. 19, 2024.Photo:Courtesy National Guard

Courtesy National Guard

Patrick Bittman, 28, of Portland, was on a solo hike on Franconia Ridge when he called for help on Thursday, Dec. 19, according to a news release fromNew Hampshire Fish and Game.

The Maine man began his hike the previous evening “so that he could watch the sunrise from Mount Lafayette,” but then “encountered deep blowing snow” near the summit of Little Haystack.

During his descent, Bittman “could not find the trail” and “ended up heading into the Dry Brook drainage,” where he became stuck, according to authorities.

Bittman called 911 around 8:15 a.m. local time to report that “his limbs were frozen, he was hypothermic, and could no longer move through the several feet of snow,” officials aid in the news release.

Temperatures on the mountain were in the 20s, but felt even colder “with winds blowing consistently above 30 miles an hour,” Fish and Game said.

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It took over an hour for crews to reach the hiker, who was located around 1 p.m., according to the department.

Crews battled “extremely thick” vegetation and “steep” terrain to reach Bittman, who was located “about 1,000 feet off trail at 4,300 feet in elevation.”

Bittman was “extremely hypothermic” when he was found, so crews placed him in a Bothy Bag “and given warm, dry clothing and warm fluids.”

The Army National Guard eventually airlifted the man from the mountain and transported him to Littleton Regional Healthcare around 3:30 p.m.

“This aerial rescue saved a multi-hour carry out through rugged terrain and is a testament as to how search and rescue works in New Hampshire with several different groups working together for a common goal,” Fish and Game said in the news release.

FIsh and Game encouraged hikers to “be prepared” for any trek they may embark on in the White Mountains of New Hampshire.

They recommend packing the following ten essential items: “map, compass, warm clothing, extra food and water, headlamp, fire starter, first aid kit, whistle, rain/wind jackets and pants, and a knife.”

source: people.com