Two people were rescued Sunday after they became trapped by an avalanche while ice climbing in New Hampshire's White Mountains.
The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department said they were notified around 12:15 p.m. Sunday of two climbers in need of assistance. They were involved in an avalanche off Cannon Cliffs in Franconia State Park.
WATCH ANYTIME FOR FREE
 |
Stream NBC10 Boston news for free, 24/7, wherever you are. |
The male and female climbers had planned to ice climb the famous Black Dike climbing route and began to hike in at 8 a.m. from the Lafayette Campground parking lot. Once they reached the base of the climbing route the snow gave away underneath them, causing an avalanche. The male slid about 300 feet before coming to a stop and was partially buried.
The female, who was uninjured, was able to call 911. As she was on the phone she was able to locate her friend waving downslope and hiked down to help him out of the snow. Though the male was injured, the two were able to self-evacuate toward the trail.
Get updates on what's happening in Boston to your inbox. Sign up for our News Headlines newsletter.
Members of the volunteer Pemi Search and Rescue Team were driven to the trail via snow machine by a conservation officer and members of the Cannon Mountain Ski Patrol. Initial contact with the climbers was made by the rescue team around 1:45 p.m.
The climbers were identified as Vincent Lapointe, 31, of Montgomery Center, Vermont, and Zephi Friel, 36, of Concord, New Hampshire. They were given a ride by snowmobile back to the awaiting Littleton Ambulance, arriving at 1:52 PM.
Though Lapointe suffered an unknown injury, he refused medical assistance and chose to be driven to the hospital by Friel.
No further details were released.
