Avalanche On NH Mountain Injures Bow Man Requiring Helicopter Rescue

THOMPSON MESERVE’S PURCHASE, NH — A man from Bow suffered a life-threatening lower leg injury after triggering an avalanche while skiing in the Great Gulf on Mount Washington on Friday.

Dominic Torro, 30, was skiing down “Airplane Gully” with a friend when the incident happened, according to New Hampshire Fish & Game. Torro’s friend and another unrelated skier, skied over to assist Torro after the avalanche to assist Torro at about 11:30 a.m.

The two other skiers gave aid to Torro, called 9-1-1 for assistance, and started the rescue process. As the 9-1-1 call worked its way through the proper channels, it was first relayed to US Forest Service Snow Rangers. Due to the incident being outside of the snow ranger’s direct jurisdiction, it was relayed to New Hampshire Fish and Game conservation officers. The conservation officers diverted their efforts from a deer case investigation to the rescue call.

The conservation officer who took the call spoke with a U.S. Forest Service Snow Ranger and together they worked out a plan. Fish and Game Sgt Glenn Lucas said, “Snow rangers cover the Cutler River Drainage, but they are always willing to assist in any way that they can throughout the White Mountains. That showed true once again as the CO started making calls to the National Guard Helicopter and the snow ranger started making calls to gather Mountain Rescue Service (MRS) personnel.”

As the National Guard helicopter was being mobilized, personnel from the Mount Washington State Parks and Mount Washington Auto Road coordinated the ground effort in getting a “SnoCat” ready to transport the MRS team up the Auto Road to the summit where they would trek over the ridge and rescue the skier if the Helicopter could not.

While the rescue effort organization and mobilization continued, phone interaction was continued with the injured skier and the two skiers giving aid. Concern about specific and needed medical action rose so a joint phone call was made to a highly experienced backcountry paramedic to give medical guidance to the two skiers giving the aid. The guidance was given and Torro was stabilized.

Sgt Lucas said, “Both skiers that gave aid did a great job with consideration to the conditions and situation.”

While waiting for the National Guard Helicopter to arrive, the skiers shoveled out an area on the side slope so that the paramedic and litter that would be lowered down from the National Guard Helicopter would have enough space to load Torro and hoist him into the helicopter while it hovered above.

As the MRS Team loaded into the NH State Parks SnoCat, the National Guard Helicopter took off from Concord. The MRS team continued their accent up the Auto Road as a precautionary measure, which was not needed.

At 3:19 p.m., the National Guard helicopter crew located Torro and lowered down a Medic and litter to his location. They then flew off briefly to have Torro assessed and loaded into the litter. When the Medic was ready the helicopter crew flew back over the top of them and hoisted Torro, then the Medic into the helicopter at 3:55 PM.

The two skiers who gave aid decided to hike out and ski down on their own. As of this press release, both skiers made it out to their vehicles and are off the mountain.

Torro was flown from the incident location to Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon for treatment of his injuries.