Pair rescued after weathering rough night on Mount Washington

After a cold and wet night at the top of the Jewell Trail on Mount Washington, two men were brought back to safety by Fish and Game on Saturday.

Ronald Proulx, 52, of Epsom and his son Corey, 25, of Manchester had planned a two-day hike from the Appalachia Trailhead in Randolph to Mount Washington where they would descend to a car parked at the Ammonoosuc Ravine trailhead.

But as a storm moved into the area Friday night, the father and son became lost and set up a tent to spend the night above the treeline. Temperatures dipped to the mid-40s with a wind chill in the low 30s and heavy rain, according to the Mount Washington Observatory.

At about 10 a.m. Saturday, Corey made the final stretch to the summit and reached Mount Washington State Park staff, who made a call to Fish and Game. Ronald suffered mild hypothermia, was unable to summit the mountain and stayed behind in the tent.

Fish and Game responded to the summit, descended down to Ronald waiting in the tent and warmed him up. With assistance, Ronald was able to make the 1¼-mile hike to the summit where vehicles awaited them on the Mount Washington Auto Road to take the pair back to their car.

Shortly after this rescue was completed, Fish and Game received another call from 911 regarding an injured hiker near the summit of Mount Jackson in Bean’s Grant.

Keith Champagne, 45, of Mansfield Center, Conn., injured his leg while descending the mountain and couldn’t continue.

Fish and Game, with the help of volunteers from the Pemigewasset Valley Search and Rescue, the Appalachain Mountain Club and the Twin Mountain Fire Department, made contact with Champagne about 7:30 p.m. and carried him down to an ambulance.

He was transported to Littleton Regional Hospital, arriving about 11:30 p.m.