Rescuers Respond To Three Different Hiker Rescues On Trails

CONCORD, NH — New Hampshire Fish and Game Conservation Officers responded to multiple incidents over the weekend across New Hampshire.

New Hampshire Fish and Game Department was notified Sunday of an emergency beacon activation near Franconia Falls in the Lincoln Woods area. The information collected from the beacon indicated there was an unresponsive hiker at Franconia Falls with possibly serious injuries from a fall.

Conservation Officers, Lincoln Fire Department, PEMI Valley Search and Rescue and the US Forest Service responded to the area of the beacon alert at about 3:15 p.m. Once on scene first responders met with Jason Kimmel, 32, of Somersworth. Kimmel and his family had been out for a hike when he fell and suffered a serious injury.

A passing hiker activated his Inreach emergency beacon to signal for help since they were more than three miles from the trailhead and had no cell phone signal. First responders were able to get Kimmel to the Lincoln Woods trail where Lincoln Fire Department had staged with a UTV. Lincoln Fire Department was then able to transport him the three miles to the trailhead by UTV where they arrived at 5 p.m. Kimmel was taken by LinWood ambulance to Speare Memorial Hospital for further medical treatment.

As rescue personnel was concluding the rescue in Lincoln another call was given to Conservation Officers reporting that there was an injured hiker on the Mount Tecumseh Trail in Waterville Valley.

The solo hiker called 911 and indicated she was suffering from a lower leg injury and was still about 2.2 miles from Tripoli Road, unable to continue.

The hiker also reported that her cell phone was going to die. Unable to contact the hiker by cell phone a crew of rescuers comprised of volunteers from Pemi Valley Search and Rescue Team and Conservation Officers responded to the trail.

After traveling approximately one mile up the trail rescuers came across the injured hiker who was slowly making her way down the trail. The rescue team provided food and water and was able to determine that she could continue the remainder of the trail under her own power.

The rescue party arrived at the trailhead at 6:30 p.m. The injured hiker was identified as Annika Carbacio, 29, of Lawrence, Massachusetts. Carbacio advised she had taken a wrong turn on the summit of Mount Tecumseh and had continued away from where her vehicle was parked. After traveling over some difficult terrain she felt that she may have reaggravated a prior injury.

Feeling that she would not be able to continue without assistance she made a call to 911 as her phone died. Not knowing if help was coming she continued slowly down the trail until she encountered the rescue team. Waterville Valley Department of Safety assessed her injury at the trailhead and it was determined Carbacio would be able to transport herself for treatment of her injury.

On Friday, Conservation officers were notified of an injured hiker near the Liberty Springs Tent Site. Conservation Officers responded with a team of volunteers from the Pemigewasset Valley Search and Rescue Team.

June Carr, 61, of Gilman Vermont, was descending the Liberty Spring Trail when she sustained a non-life-threatening lower leg injury.

Carr attempted to descend under her own power on her hands and uninjured leg when that proved too slow a passing hiker carried her partly down on his back until they decided to wait for rescue personnel. Rescue crews were able to carry Carr approximately 1.6 miles down to the bike path and drove her out to the trailhead.

New Hampshire Fish & Game reminds hikers to always be prepared and plan for the unexpected. Before your next adventure, visit hikesafe.com.