A hiker from California was rescued from New Hampshire's White Mountains after suffering leg and head injuries in a fall on Tuesday.
The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department said it was notified around 5:20 p.m. about an injured hiker on the steep section of the Huntington Ravine Trail, about 1,200 feet below the junction with Alpine Garden Trail at a location known as the Fan.
The Huntington Ravine Trail is considered the toughest trail in the White Mountains and one of the most difficult and dangerous in the entire northeast.
The hiker, identified as Izem Guendoud, 31, of Oakland, California, called 911 after he fell while hiking alone and suffered an unknown leg and head injury. The weather at the time was in the 30s, with rain, a low cloud ceiling and snow at the upper elevations.
Get Boston local news, weather forecasts, lifestyle and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC Boston’s newsletters.
Guendoud said he had been hiking up the Huntington Ravine Trail when he lost his balance on the steep, wet rock slab and slid several feet into rocks off the side of the trail. Fish and Game officials said he was not prepared for the seriousness of the hike and did not have the necessary gear.
Several rescuers used the Auto Road to access the top of Huntington Ravine Trail and hiked down to Guendoud, which was extremely challenging and required the use of ropes and belays. The rescuers decided to place him in a litter and carry him down the trail instead of trying to hoist him using ropes and other climbing gear. Other rescuers made their way up from below by hiking up the Tuckerman Ravine Trail to the Huntington Ravine Trail.
The first rescuers arrived around 9 p.m., and after spending several hours setting up the ropes and gear, began carrying him down the trail around 11:15 p.m.
Throughout the night and into Wednesday morning, the 22 rescue team members struggled through rough conditions, including on and off rain showers, freezing temperatures, steep terrain and the boulder fields of the ravine. Seven hours after they began, the rescue crews finally reached an awaiting ATV parked on the Sherburne Ski Trail shortly after 6 a.m.
Guendoud was placed on the ATV and driven down the trail to the parking lot of the Pinkham Notch Visitor Center. From there, he was taken by ambulance to Androscoggin Valley Hospital in Berlin. No update on his condition was immediately available.
"The Huntington Ravine Trail is considered the toughest trail in the White Mountain National Forest and should not be attempted by anyone who does not have the experience, skills and ability to rock climb and to utilize ropes, harnesses and other technical gear," the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department said in a press release. "Signs have been posted at both the lower and upper entrances to this trail in an effort to dissuade casual hikers from attempting this hike."
"A carryout rescue in this environment is very dangerous and taxing on the rescuers and potential risk of injury to rescue personnel is elevated. Trying to navigate the obstacles and debris in Huntington Ravine at night, in the rain is not something that should go unnoticed. The volunteers and Conservation Officers who took part in this rescue should be commended on their efforts."
