LINCOLN, New Hampshire — A group of hikers from Boston required rescue Saturday night during their decent of what New Hampshire Fish and Game officials describe as one of the most difficult trails in White Mountain National Forest.
The group from Boston, consisting of three teenagers between the ages of 13 and 14 and a 26-year-old man who was leading the group, called for help around 9 p.m. during their descent of Flume Slide Trail, the department said in a news release.
The department said the cold conditions and their lack of preparation led to the call for help, specifically citing that the group did not have lights.
Earlier that day, the group hiked up Liberty Springs Trail before summiting Mount Liberty and Mount Flume. Both peaks are over 4,000 feet in elevation and are often summitted by hikers during the same trip, as they are about 1.2 miles apart, with intersecting trails that allow hikers the opportunity to loop back to their original trail instead of following the same trail out and back.
However, the group made what agency officials call a "dangerous decision" to descend the Flume Slide Trail to loop back to the Liberty Springs Trail.
"The Flume Slide Trail is considered one of the most difficult trails in the White Mountains, and it is strongly recommended by all sources not to be used to descend from Mount Flume," they said in the release.
Numerous hiking guides recommend an opposite path, with an ascent up the steep Flume Slide Trail and descent down the more gradual Liberty Springs Trail, totaling around 10 miles after summitting both peaks in the loop.
Rescue officials reached the group around 11:30 p.m., providing them with lights and some food, and assisted the group down the trail to safety, arriving at the Franconia Notch State Park Bike Path intersection shortly before 2 a.m. Sunday.
The group was then transported to their vehicle, which was parked at the trailhead lot for Liberty Springs Trail. No injuries were reported, and the group was assisted "without further incident" to safety.
