[at-l] Hikers survive Mt. Washington storm

[Arthur Gaudet]

Just on the AP, a story with a happy ending. It struck me just how rare these
occur, or are they just not reported? Also it was the younger man that was in
worse shape!--RockDancer
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2 hikers survive frigid night on Mt Washington

February 5, 2008 
MOUNT WASHINGTON, N.H.-Two Massachusetts hikers lost the trail in a whiteout on
Mount Washington and were forced to spend a frigid night outside.

Daniel Molloy, 51, of East Sandwich, and Nilton Motta, 31, of Plymouth, had
planned a day hike to the summit on Sunday. By 4 p.m., they were caught in a
whiteout above treeline. Blinded by driving snow, they lost the trail and found
themselves slogging through brush and snowdrifts.

Eventually, they dug a deep hole in the snow and used extra gear and broken
branches to insulate themselves from temperatures near zero and winds near 70
mph. At dawn Monday, they got their bearings and hiked off the mountain as
searchers began looking for them, Fish and Game Officer Mark Ober said.

Molloy said until they got into the hole and out of the wind, he was concerned
about his hiking partner.

"He went into what looked to me like hypothermia," Molloy told WGIR radio. "He
was shivering and a little bit despondent."

Molloy dug their shelter with a pan they had intended to use to make cappuccino
at the summit.

Ober said neither man needed medical help because they were prepared with extra
gear and clothing, including food, water, lights, a cooking stove and climbing
gear.

"Being prepared with good gear and basic survival knowledge, these men were able
to spend a night in inhospitable conditions and come out of the situation with
no more than a chill," he said.

Molloy said the sudden snowstorm was unpredictable and unexpected.

"We were in the wrong place at the wrong time with the weather," he said.