Crews rescue ‘exhausted’ Massachusetts man hiking in New Hampshire as torrential rains hit region

BEAN'S GRANT, N.H. — Crews rescued an “exhausted” Massachusetts man who was hiking in New Hampshire as torrential rains hit over the weekend.

James Fosnock, 70, of Wakefield, Massachusetts came down the Jackson Branch of the Webster-Jackson Trail with the help of rescue crews early Sunday morning, New Hampshire Fish and Game officials said Monday.

At approximately 4:40 p.m. Saturday, state officials were notified about a Garmin inReach SOS beacon activation on the Jackson Branch of the Webster-Jackson Trail approximately 2.2 miles from Route 302. Officials did not have any indication of the type of emergency and they were not able to contact the registered owner of the Garmin to verify what type of emergency existed.

“With no information to go on Fish and Game Conservation Officers started a minimal response,” officials said.

Before crews arrived on the trailhead, the hiker who activated the device arrived out at 6 p.m. He told a conservation officer that he had activated his device for Fosnock, his hiking companion, who was still nearly 2 miles up the trail and “was too weak and exhausted to continue,” officials said.

Conservation officers hiked up the trail in torrential rain and found Fosnock approximately 1.8 miles up the trail, officials said. The rescuers gave Fosnock food, Gatorade, and a head lamp and helped him down the trail at an extremely slow pace, taking 6 1/2 hours to walk the 1.8 miles.

The crew made it to the trailhead at 2 a.m. Sunday.

Fosnock had rain gear, food, water and some extra clothing, but was unprepared for the New Hampshire hike, officials said.

“He had not hiked in several years and was not physically prepared for the rigors of a hike of this magnitude, which led to his exhaustion,” officials said.

“New Hampshire Fish and Game would like to remind hikers that preparing themselves before venturing out into the wilderness includes being physically prepared for the rigorous nature of a hike and to know their limitations and to turn around before problems arise,” officials said.

For more information, visit www.hikeSafe.com.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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