Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
Make a sustaining gift today to support local journalism!

Fish and Game Department Reminds Hikers to Trek Safely

On Wednesday Fish and Game officials aided a woman at Franconia Notch when she experienced chest pains. The same day hikers helped a man who fell 20 feet down a Mount Washington trail.

The New Hampshire Department of Fish and Game’s Lieutenant Robert Bryant said hiker mishaps are a common occurrence in the summer.  

This is the time of year for vacation and hiking and it’s certainly not uncommon for us to head out to help hikers.

Bryant says many problems arise from poor planning, and he offers the following tips for hikers:

Bring plenty of water. A lot of calls we get are from people who are just plain dehydrated…make sure they are carrying plenty of food, and be prepared for the unexpected; all it takes is one wrong turn and they might have to spend the night.

Another common misstep is forgoing a trail map and relying on trail markers which can be changed by vandals, difficult to read, or completely absent.

Bryant also says groups of hikers need to stay together to prevent anyone from getting lost.

The Law Enforcement Division of the Fish and Game Department handle search and rescue missions in addition to enforcing regulations protecting the state’s natural resources and wildlife.

Related Content

You make NHPR possible.

NHPR is nonprofit and independent. We rely on readers like you to support the local, national, and international coverage on this website. Your support makes this news available to everyone.

Give today. A monthly donation of $5 makes a real difference.