MOUNT WASHINGTON, NH (WMTW) – A Virginia man was found dead about a half-mile below the summit of Mount Washington Thursday morning, officials said.
According to New Hampshire Fish and Game, the 72-year-old was found lying on the Gulfside Trail near the intersection with the West Side Trail.
Officials believe he took the cog railway up the mountain on Wednesday morning or afternoon and then decided to hike back down. He was found by another hiker at around 8:30 a.m. Thursday.
The man’s name has not been released until his family can be notified. Officers found his Virginia driver’s license among the man’s belongings. He was wearing jeans, a dark blue raincoat, brown hiking boots and a small blue backpack.
Anyone who may have come into contact with the hiker on the trail or on the train is asked to contact New Hampshire State Police Troop F at 603-846-3333.
According to New Hampshire Fish and Game, he likely died due to environmental factors, with nighttime temperatures at -1 degrees Celsius and daytime temperatures at 4 degrees Celsius.
Officers from the Fish and Game Department, State Police and Twin Mountain Fire Department traveled as far as possible by train, hiked to the area and brought the man back on a stretcher. The State Medical Examiner’s Office has scheduled an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death.
“As a reminder, the weather at higher peaks is cold, wet and windy, creating ideal conditions for hypothermia and other cold-related injuries,” NH Fish and Game wrote in a press release.
Mountain guides warn anyone planning to climb the mountain: they should check the weather conditions, know where they are going, dress appropriately and take extra provisions with them before setting out.
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