A 54-year-old Massachusetts man suffering from hypothermia was rescued Tuesday in the Pemigewasset Wilderness Area, according to Lt. James Kneeland of Fish and Game.
Christopher Wright of Mattapoisett triggered an emergency locator beacon about 1:30 pm and the request for help was relayed to Fish and Game.
Two Fish and Game officers found Wright in his tent on the bank of the Franconia Brook, warmed him and escorted him out of the woods. Kneeland said Wright, who was on a two-day trip, had appropriate gear but said he wasn’t able to stay dry during steady rain.
Kneeland said one other problem Wright faced was not being able to cross the Franconia Brook due to high water.
The issue of crossing streams during high water is currently being studied by officials from the White National Forest who are trying to decide whether - in the Pemi Wilderness Area - it is appropriate to replace the rickety Thoreau Falls Bridge over the East Branch of the Pemi river. A major issue is hiker safety.
