NH Fish & Game Assist Several People During Weekend Incidents

CONCORD, NH — New Hampshire Fish & Game responded to several calls for help over the weekend.

Conservation Officers responded to Hart’s Location in the area of Mount Webster on Friday when a hiker called 911 after losing the trail. Alexandra Dupey, 24, of Manchester. Dupey was hiking alone when she found herself off-trail and in deep snow. Officers assisted her over the phone, she was able to regain the trail and hike out under her own power. She arrived at the trailhead shortly before 6:30 p.m.

"While Dupey was prepared for her intended hike, it is important to note that winter conditions to include deep snow and ice are present in the mountains and are likely to persist for the next several weeks," Fish & Game said in a statement. "Anyone venturing out should be equipped with microspikes, snowshoes, and extra layers. Route finding can be difficult especially if you find yourself on a less used section of trail, and although cell phone mapping applications can be useful they are not a substitute for a map, compass, and hand-held GPS unit."

On Saturday, Fish and Game conservation officers were notified of a single snowmobile crash in Pittsburg with an injury. Conservation officers, Pittsburg police, Pittsburg fire and rescue, and the 45th Parallel EMS Ambulance responded to Young’s Store, where the patient had been transported by members of her riding party.

A Pittsburg police officer interviewed the patient, Deanna Dotson, 50, of Milford, Connecticut, until conservation officers could arrive. It was discovered that Dotson was a passenger on the rental machine that was being operated by her husband, Eric Dotson, 48.

The couple had rented the snowmobile from a local establishment in Pittsburg and were traveling east on the Minnon-Young Trail when the accident occurred. According to Dotson, he was traveling downhill while making a left turn when he got too close to the edge of the trail and his right ski went into soft snow causing the snowmobile to go off the trail. Dotson was unable to steer out of the deep snow, narrowly missing a tree, and ended up crashing into a stream. Both were ejected from the snowmobile.

Members of the Dotson’s riding party rushed to their aid and placed a call to 911. Eric, who was uninjured stayed at the scene with the snowmobile while Deanna was transported out to Young’s Store parking lot by friends. Deanna was assessed by the 45th Parallel ambulance for her injuries and was ultimately transported to Upper Connecticut Valley Hospital in Colebrook.

A subsequent investigation revealed that this was the first time that Eric Dotson had operated a snowmobile and operator inexperience is considered the primary factor in the crash.

NH Fish and Game would like to remind all snowmobile riders to operate within their limits and be mindful of the end-of-season trail conditions and adjust their speed accordingly.

On Saturday Berlin fire and EMS, and New Hampshire Fish and Game conservation officers responded to an accident involving a snowmobile in Jericho Mountain State Park Saturday.

NH Fish and Game Officer Matthew Holmes said around 3:45 p.m., Alison Pacheco, 31, of Swanzey, Massachusetts, was a passenger on a snowmobile being operated by a family member.

While negotiating an uphill portion of the Kilowatt Trail in Jericho Mountain State Park, the snowmobile Pacheco was riding on dropped a ski into a divot in the trail and caused the machine to tip to one side. It is believed that Pacheco instinctively put a foot down to stop a rollover, which in turn resulted in a significant leg injury.

A member of Pacheco's riding group rode from the scene and summoned help. Using a tracked Utility Terrain Vehicle (UTV) provided by the Berlin Fire Department, rescuers were able to reach the scene and provide first aid to Pacheco.

Pacheco was subsequently secured in the rescue vehicle and transported out of the woods to a waiting ambulance staged on White Street, arriving at that location shortly before 6 p.m. Once roadside, Pacheco was transported to Androscoggin Valley Hospital for further evaluation and treatment of her injuries.