NH Fish and Game Conservation Officers responded to Mt. Monadnock Sunday night after distressed hikers called 911.
Michael Gilson 26 of Oxford, England and Shaun Collins 25 of London, England reached the summit and became lost on their descent. The pair attempted to find their way back to the Park Headquarters without a map until they were overcome by darkness.
Gilson called 911 and requested assistance at approximately 5:40 PM. Shortly after calling 911 Gilson’s Iphone battery failed due to the cold and Conservation Officers were not able to speak with him. The hikers did not have flashlights or micro-spikes and were not prepared for temperatures dipping into the low teens or the icy trail conditions.
A pair of Conservation Officers located the hikers on the Marion Trail about a half a mile from the summit. The hikers were assisted to the Old Toll Road at approximately 8:45 PM where a Jaffrey Police Officer transported them back to their rental car at the Park Headquarters on Poole Rd.
Conservation Officers were assisted by the Cheshire County Sheriff’s Department Communications Center, DRED Mountain Patrol Rangers, and the Jaffrey Police Department.
NH Fish and Game Conservation Officers would like to remind anyone who ventures outdoors to prepare for the unexpected by leaving adequate time to hike and by carrying the essential equipment such as a map, flashlights, food, water, extra layers and to know your physical limitations.