Mt. Washington hiker found dead 'not prepared for the conditions,' officials say
The exact cause of the man’s death is still pending but "it appears that the hiker likely succumbed to environmental exposure," officails said in a news release.
Janice Dean gets behind-the-scenes look at the Mount Washington Observatory
FOX News Senior Meteorologist Janice Dean got a behind-the-scenes look at the Mount Washington Observatory in New Hampshire.
MOUNT WASHINGTON, N.H. — A 72-year-old hiker was found dead just below the summit of Mount Washington in New Hampshire on Thursday, and likely died from exposure to harsh conditions, officials said.
Another hiker found the body along the Gulfside Trail about a half mile from the summit, according to Lt. Mark Ober with the New Hampshire Fish & Game Department.
Several first responders made their way up to the area to retrieve the man’s body and bring him back to the medical examiner’s office for an autopsy.
The exact cause of the man’s death is still pending but "it appears that the hiker likely succumbed to environmental exposure," Ober said in a news release.
The man was wearing only jeans, a raincoat and hiking boots. Officials think the man took the Cog Railway train up to the summit on Wednesday and then attempted the hike back down.
"He was not prepared for the conditions that were, and are still currently present, in the higher summits of the White Mountains," Ober said. "As a reminder, the weather conditions at summit elevations remain cold, wet, and windy. These are prime conditions for hypothermia and other weather-related injuries."
Mount Washington’s Observatory is home to some of the most extreme weather in North America, with wind gusts during storms routinely reaching over 100 mph. The observatory for decades held the world record for the highest wind gust recorded at 231 mph.
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Winds were considerably calmer in the middle of this week with gusts at the summit ranging from 10-25 mph but wind chills still dipped into the 20s to low 30s with persistent rain, drizzle and fog.
The man’s name has not been released, pending notification of family members.