Spring Hiking Can Turn Deadly Fast. The White Mountains Just Proved It.

Following the death of a solo hiker in the White Mountains, New Hampshire officials are issuing stark warnings about the region’s deceptive and unforgiving spring weather.

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.

The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department (NHFG) told Outside that Wood drove to Franconia Notch 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.

If you don’t have the proper gear, knowledge, and experience, that can prove deadly, and it’s proven deadly just about every year.

Woods is one of at least eight hikers who ran into trouble in the area last weekend.

“People doing what they think is a ‘quick spring hike’ can very easily find themselves on a very challenging, winter-condition hike,” NHFG Lieutenant Robert Mancini told Outside. Mancini has served with the agency’s search-and-rescue team since 2011. He said many hikers encounter trouble when they fail to bring adequate supplies.

“If you don’t have the proper gear, knowledge, and experience, that can prove deadly, and it’s proven deadly just about every year I’ve been a conservation officer,” Mancini said.

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’s often a different story.

“The conditions down in the parking lot can differ greatly from the conditions in these summits,” Mancini said. “There can be waist-deep snow in the higher summits, even in April, when the trailhead is bare.”

The Deadly Reality of New Hampshire’s Shoulder Season

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 in the country.

Authorities said Wood planned for warm spring conditions—not 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.

“March 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,” Mancini said. “There 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.”

How Can Hikers Stay Safe in the White Mountains?

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 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.

“You have to layer with intention,” Mancini said. “You 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’s to check your navigation, change out your gloves, or put on a hat or goggles.”

Hikers should also always carry an emergency shelter.

“Even if you don’t intend to do an overnight hike, in this shoulder season you should have some life-saving equipment that will keep you safe,” Mancini said. He suggested a lightweight sleeping bag and some type of tarp for protection from exposure.

Mancini added that hikers should wear proper footwear with traction for ice and snow, such as spikes or crampons. Always research your route in advance, and pack—and learn how to use—a map, compass, and other navigational tools.

“There are certain trails where getting lost is a real concern,” he said. “We have hikers in whiteout conditions, they miss a turn, and they end up in a really steep ravine, postholing through waist-deep snow. That happens, and it causes fatalities too.”

Visitors to the White Mountains can also purchase the $25 annual HikeSafe card, which exempts rescued hikers from paying rescue costs even if officials deem they acted negligently.

When Should You Turn Around?

Perhaps the most important piece of advice isn’t about gear or research. According to Mancini, people just need to know when to call it quits.

“The hardest skill to understand for a hiker is knowing when to turn around and go back. The conditions change quickly here, and the goal should be not completing your hike, but getting back to your vehicle safely,” he said. “Prepared hikers build turnaround times into their plan and monitor conditions. Turning around isn’t failure, it’s good judgment.”