Two hikers who were missing in Franconia Notch since Sunday were rescued last night by a search team that fought snow squalls, low temperatures and freezing fog.

Laurence "Fred" Frederickson, 55, of South Sutton and James Osborne, 36, of Manchester were found on Little Haystack about 7:30 last night, the Associated Press reported. They were taken to Littleton Regional Hospital for treatment of severe hypothermia.

Both men work for Concord Coach Lines. Osborne manages the Boston Express Bus. The two had planned to hike the Falling Waters Trail to Franconia Ridge, to the 5,260-foot summit of Lafayette and down the Old Bridle Path trail.

Lt. Todd Bogardus of New Hampshire Fish and Game said the trails were not heavily traveled Sunday because of poor weather conditions. While Frederickson was an experienced winter hiker, Bogardus said, it may have been Osborne's first winter hike.

He said it was unclear exactly what the men had with them for supplies, but they were likely wearing light winter gear.

About 24 people from Fish and Game, Mountain Rescue Service and the Pemigewasset Valley Search and Rescue Team looked for them with help from an Army National Guard helicopter. The harsh winter conditions made their efforts tough.

"They're certainly being hampered by the weather," Bogardus said.

Frederickson's ex-wife, Bette Frederickson, who also lives in Sutton, was frantic after hearing the news yesterday afternoon.

Fred and Bette Frederickson, who were married about 12 years, met at the Appalachian Mountain Club's Cardigan lodge, where he was working and she was taking a course. They honeymooned hiking in the Adirondacks. Bette Frederickson said Fred has vast winter hiking experience and has hiked all of New Hampshire's 4,000-footers.

They have twin 27-year-old sons, Kyle and Trevor, who live in the Boston area and in South Berwick, Maine. It was Kyle Frederickson who received the call from his father's coworker saying that he hadn't come to work, his mother said.

"Fred is never late for work," Bette Frederickson said. "I don't think Jim is either. Both of them - and (coworkers) knew that both of them were hiking - were missing."

Trevor Frederickson adopted his parents' love for the outdoors. He told his mother he wanted to join the search team.

Bogardus said some hikers on Sunday reported cutting their hikes short as weather progressed from cloudy with light winds to heavy winds and sub-zero temperatures.

The winds at the top of Mount Washington were gusting at 93 mph just before 5 p.m. last night, causing a wind chill of 50 degrees below zero. James Brown, a hydrometeorological technician with the National Weather Service in Gray, Maine, said weather at the other peaks was likely slightly less fierce but similar.

------ End of article

Single page