SARGENTS PURCHASE, N.H. (WHDH) – Two teenagers were rescued from New Hampshire’s Mt. Washington after the hike took a frightening turn and harsh conditions settled in.
Khang Nguyen said he was on his way up the mountain when he started experiencing extreme pain in his thigh, which slowed him down significantly. Despite the setback, Nguyen and his friend said they decided to push forward and seek help at the summit.
“We were thinking about going down, but I don’t know how long it would take,” Nguyen said. “It took us 10 hours, and my leg got hurt in the middle of it, and we’re expecting if we go down there it would take longer than 10 hours.”
Nguyen said he eventually told his friend to continue on without him, and promised he would catch up.
“I have no water, no food, but I’m almost up there and I promise Vaughn, I’ll make it,” he said.
The teenagers eventually called 911 and got the help that they needed. Officers were able to contact an employee of Mt. Washington State Park, who went out to search for the teenagers. Nguyen said the employee eventually located them and brought them into a state park building.
“He gave us some water, some food, he’s very helpful,” he said.
With a temperature of 38 degrees, high winds, and forecasted snow, conservation officers worked on a plan to get the pair off of the mountain. Nguyen said they were eventually brought down by game wardens in four-wheel-drive pickup trucks.
While the duo were prepared for the hike, they said they were not prepared for an emergency, or to spend the night.
Nguyen said this incident will impact how he gets ready for any future hikes.
“This is definitely not gonna discourage me, it’ll be awhile until I hike anything as severe, and I’ll definitely prepare a bit more especially for emergencies,” he said.
New Hampshire Fish and Game officials said three other hikers from Haverhill were rescued from a trail on the mountain last week, and are now asking hikers to come prepared.
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