Mount Washington hiker Cole Matthes reveals what led to the situation requiring an 11-hour rescue effort by a team of men.
“I’m very grateful to all 11 people who saved my life on Saturday, and I’m very grateful that they had to risk their lives to save me,” Mattes told The Associated Press. I feel sorry for that,” he said. “I definitely made the wrong decision and was underprepared for this hike.”
He and rescue workers say he would have died within hours without help.
As temperatures dropped and fierce winds made visibility nearly impossible, Matthes retreated from the trail. He hit a patch of snow-covered ice and slid several hundred feet down a ravine.
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New Hampshire Fish and Game Conservation Officer Levi Fry (left) and Androscoggin Valley Search and Rescue’s Jeremy Broughton prepare to depart for a rescue mission at the Cog Railroad Station in Mount Washington, Saturday, February 17, 2024. Mr. N.H. (Sergeant Glenn Lucas/New Hampshire Fish and Game via AP)
The 22-year-old from Portsmouth, New Hampshire, said in an online interview that he has a lot of experience hiking, but not in harsh winter conditions. He set out in spiked snowshoes with a plan to complete his challenging 9-mile Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail loop with 4,200 feet of elevation gain.
As conditions worsened, Matthes ignored advice from other climbers to turn back before falling, according to New Hampshire Fish and Game.
“I saw a group of hikers turn back at Lake of the Clouds Hut, but I decided to continue with the others,” Matthes said. “I wasn’t hiking alone at that point, and the weather conditions weren’t at their peak.”
Matthes called 911 shortly before noon after falling, hitting his body and twisting his ankle.
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The rails of the railroad heading toward the summit are covered in snow, Mount Washington above Cog Railroad Station, Saturday, February 17, 2024, in Mount Washington, New Hampshire. (Conservator Brad Jones/New Hampshire Fish and Game, via Associated Press)
Ryan Presby, who manages the Mount Washington Cog Railway, told The Associated Press he rode the train three times with rescue workers. As winds reached 90 miles per hour and temperatures plummeted, he feared the train’s diesel engine would gel and cause the train to stop. He instructed rescue workers to jump out as soon as possible once they reach their destination.
Fish and Game conservation officer Levi Frye was among the first group of three rescuers to jump off the train. He said it was immediately obvious that crampons were needed due to the ice and strong winds.
“We were fighting it all the time. Especially when you’re carrying heavy loads, it could certainly fall off your feet,” Frye said. “Snow was flying up and visibility was poor.”
Rescuers used a system called leapfrogging, taking advantage of the trail’s marked rock cairns. One person stays in the first cairn, and the other tries to find the next cairn. A third person stood in the center and communicated with both.
New Hampshire Fish and Game Conservation Officer Brad Jones prepares to depart for a rescue mission at the Cog Railroad Station in Mount Washington, New Hampshire, Saturday, February 17, 2024. (Sergeant Glenn Lucas/New Hampshire Fish and Game via AP)
To stay safe, you need to find a balance between not getting too cold and not sweating too much. That’s because sweat is even more dangerous when it freezes, Frye said.
By the time the team arrived at Matthes shortly after 6 p.m., it was already dark.
“We were very relieved when the first rescue team arrived,” Matthes said. “Even if we had shelter, we wouldn’t have been able to survive the night in this condition.”
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There’s a ski lift scene on Mount Washington in New Hampshire. (Jessica Rinaldi/Boston Globe via Getty Images)
Frye said Matthes’ boots were frozen solid. My first priority was to remove my wet clothes and put on dry ones. When more rescue workers arrived, they gave him warm water and electrolytes and tied a cord around his ankle. By approximately 9:30 p.m., they felt he was stable and ready to depart.They returned to base shortly before 11 p.m.
Matthes said he refused advice from rescue workers to go to the hospital by ambulance after receiving treatment because he thought it would be too expensive. Instead he drove there himself.
“I’m currently recovering from frostbite on my toes,” Matthes said.
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A view of 6,288.2-foot Mount Washington in the Presidential Range in the White Mountains of New Hampshire on June 12, 2020. ((Photo Credit: Joseph Prezioso/AFP) (Photo Credit: JOSEPH PREZIOSO/AFP via Getty Images))
New Hampshire Fish and Game said Matthes didn’t have the proper gear or equipment, didn’t plan for the weather and didn’t use good judgment. In several previous cases, authorities have sought to recover rescue costs from climbers they believe were at fault, but so far they have not decided what to do with Matthes.
Matthes said he was aware of the financial risk when he called 911.
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“But I knew if I hadn’t called for help, I wouldn’t have been able to get down,” Matthes said. “After all, I’m alive, and that’s all I can hope for.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
