Avalanche
The victim was being sledded, in a litter, down the Tuckerman Ravine trail by two people when they were met by the Hermit Lake Caretaker. He and his friends apparently had been climbing in the ravine when an avalanche swept them down. The avalanche danger rating for this day was Considerable. The victim suffered a dislocated shoulder and an ankle injury and was being evacuated by volunteers. The USFS was called and met the group on the trail and brought them down in the USFS snowcat. A second member of the party was met by the AMC Caretaker on her return back up to Hermit Lake. He had suffered an ankle injury in the same avalanche and was walking down to Pinkham. The Caretaker assisted him down the remainder of the trail to Pinkham. The rescue took approximately 2 hours and 4 people.
The Mount Washington Avalanche Center is a partnership between the White Mountain National Forest, White Mountain Avalanche Education Foundation and Friends of Tuckerman Ravine and other community organizations. The avalanche forecast applies only to backcountry areas, not operating ski areas, and describes general avalanche conditions which vary locally. The avalanche information provided is the sole responsibility of the USDA Forest Service.