New York Hiker Suffers Medical Emergency, Dies After Hiking North Country Trail

SHELBURNE, NH — A solo hiker died after hiking a North Country trail on Tuesday afternoon after suffering from a medical episode, according to state officials.

Around 4:30 p.m., New Hampshire Fish and Game conservation officers were informed about a hiker who was suffering a medical emergency on the Rattle River Trail in Shelburne. Another hiker, who saw the hiker become unresponsive, called 911 and began CPR on the man, identified later as Daniel Sweet, 62, of Hammond, New York, according to Sgt. Matthews Holmes of Fish and Game.

“Based on the severity of the medical emergency that was believed to have occurred,” he said, “and the location being 3 miles from the nearest road, a call to the Army National Guard was made requesting their assistance. A helicopter crew was quickly formed and began responding from their hangar in Concord.”

At the same time, a conservation officer began hiking to the location of the incident on Rattle River Trail, Holmes said. Around 6:30 p.m., the Blackhawk extracted the hiker from a remote mountainside location and took him to a Gorham ambulance at the Gorham Municipal Airport.

Sweet was pronounced dead later despite the best efforts of all involved to save him, Holmes said.

Holmes said Gorham EMTs, firefighters, and police assisted with the patient transfer.

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