Latest news with #MountWashington
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Missing Florida man who wandered away at popular New England tourist destination found dead
A 79-year-old Florida man was found dead Friday morning after going missing from the summit of Mount Washington in New Hampshire, the state Fish and Game Department confirmed in a social media post. Officials said search crews had located the body of William Davis after a difficult three-day operation involving helicopters, drones and dozens of ground personnel atop the popular New England summer tourist destination. "It is a tragic end to a tough search mission and the Fish and Game Department would like to thank all the volunteers and staff who worked tirelessly to bring Davis back to his family," the department said in a Facebook post. Davis, of Jacksonville, Florida, reached the summit by way of the Mount Washington Cog Railway on Wednesday afternoon, the Fish and Game Department said in a news release Thursday. He was last seen near the visitor center around 3:20 p.m., after taking a photo with his wife. Soon after, he separated from her and walked toward the trail area alone. Hiker's Wilderness Adventure Ends In Tragedy At Popular Park Destination At some point, Davis made brief contact with a state park employee by cellphone. He reported being off-trail and described his surroundings but could not explain his location. His phone died during the call. Search teams were notified shortly after 6 p.m. and began looking for him that evening. Read On The Fox News App Crews initially focused on the western side of the summit. Fish and Game officers, park staff, and volunteers from Androscoggin Valley Search and Rescue used drones and ground teams to search the area into early Thursday morning. Fog and wind slowed progress, and no sign of Davis was found, according to officials. On Friday morning, search teams shifted their focus to the eastern and southern slopes of the mountain. Weather conditions had worsened. Rain, clouds, and high winds moved in. Temperatures hovered in the low 40s, and wind chill readings dropped to near freezing. Hiker Disappears In Wilderness After Taking 'Shortcut' That Leads To Voice From The Woods Mount Washington is known for sudden weather changes, rocky terrain, and limited visibility, even in summer. Wind chills can dip below freezing without warning. Although the summit is accessible by car and train, trails just beyond the visitor center can turn treacherous for anyone unfamiliar with mountain hiking. Dozens of rescues are conducted on the mountain each year. At around 11 a.m. On Friday, AVSAR volunteers found Davis's body about 400 feet off the Lion Head Trail. The location was between the Alpine Garden and Tuckerman Ravine Trails, both of which run through rocky and exposed terrain. Rescue officials said Davis appeared to have suffered a serious fall. A Black Hawk helicopter crew from the New Hampshire Army National Guard was conducting a training mission nearby and was able to assist with the recovery efforts during a short break in the weather, officials said. An autopsy is pending at the state medical examiner. Authorities have not determined how Davis ended up in the remote area where he was found. The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for further article source: Missing Florida man who wandered away at popular New England tourist destination found dead Solve the daily Crossword
CBS News
2 days ago
- CBS News
Florida man missing after taking train to summit of Mount Washington in New Hampshire
Search teams are looking for a 79-year-old Florida man who went missing from the top of New Hampshire's Mount Washington after taking a train to the summit on Wednesday. William Davis of Jacksonville and his wife took the Cog Railway up the 6,288-foot mountain. He was last seen near the observation deck at about 3:20 p.m., according to his wife. "From there no one knows where he went," the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department said in a statement. A Mount Washington State Park employee was able to reach Davis by phone on Wednesday, and it appeared he had gotten lost but wasn't very far from the summit. But authorities say an hour-long search did not locate Davis and he stopped answering his phone. Two dozen rescuers and a drone team searched until 2 a.m. and started again early the next morning. Deteriorating weather conditions suspended the search on Thursday night, but it resumed Friday morning. Temperatures on the summit Friday will be in the 40s, with winds gusting as high as 85 mph. The forecast on Saturday calls for a chance of rain and highs in the mid 50s. The Cog Railway brings more than 100,000 visitors to the summit of Mount Washington annually. It was founded in 1869 and was the first mountain-climbing railway in the world. The three-hour round trip via train offers riders a one-hour layover at summit, where people can visit an observation desk, museum and gift shops.
CBS News
5 days ago
- General
- CBS News
Mount Washington residents frustrated as large trucks, buses keep getting stuck on steep streets
Neighbors in Mount Washington say they're fed up again after large trucks and buses continue to get stuck on their steep streets. One couple says it's more than frustrating, and it's damaging their property. KDKA-TV was at the intersection of Ulysses and Sycamore Street, where residents say buses and trucks frequently get stuck. Drivers attempting to turn have caused repeated damage to property in the area. Photos from Monday show a Greyhound bus stuck on steep Sycamore Street, a road even cars struggle to navigate. But neighbors say this isn't a one-time occurrence. Genevieve Jerome says this has been going on for three years. "You don't know if they're going to run into your house some day or back into your house," Jerome said. Her yard, a stop sign and a fire hydrant have all been hit multiple times. She says it's not just frustrating, it's dangerous. "I ran to the side of my house and sure enough it was the Greyhound cutting right through the yard, slowly backing up and grinding in my yard right now, and I'm like yelling and waving my arms," Jerome said. Despite "No Truck" signs nearby, large vehicles continue to roll through, including another bus just yesterday. Sean and Emily McCann, visiting Pittsburgh from Boston, witnessed the latest incident. "There's a lot of different ways to get where you need to go, so I'm surprised they come through this neighborhood," said Sean McCann. "Yeah, unless there was a detour, but yeah, I don't know it was rough," said Emily McCann A Greyhound spokesperson responded to KDKA-TV in a statement, saying: "We are aware some of our coaches have experienced difficulties navigating steep roads in the Mount Washington neighborhood, and we apologize for any disruption this has caused residents. To help prevent future issues, we are actively working with our technical support team to remove these streets from our GPS routing system and we are reinforcing guidance to our drivers to prevent future occurrences." Jerome says she's worried for more than just her property. "There's people and kids, it's a neighborhood, it's a residential neighborhood, so yeah, there's some safety risks," she said. Pittsburgh City Councilwoman Theresa Kail-Smith told KDKA-TV that Pittsburgh police are aware of the issue and are working on a solution that includes enforcement and rerouting. At this time, Jerome says she has not been reimbursed for the damage to her yard, but she's hopeful a fix is coming soon.
Fox News
24-06-2025
- Climate
- Fox News
Hiker suffers hypothermia during trek on New England's highest peak amid East Coast heat wave
In a striking contrast to the sweltering heat gripping much of the East Coast, a 55-year-old hiker from Texas was rescued in frigid and treacherous conditions Friday evening from the high peaks of New Hampshire's White Mountains. Caroline Wilson, 55, of Austin, Texas, was found hypothermic and unresponsive on the Gulfside Trail, approximately one mile north of the Cog Railway tracks, while hiking Mount Washington, New England's highest peak, the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department said in a release. The department said Wilson became incapacitated during the hike, prompting her husband to call 911 at 5 p.m. He told authorities that she could no longer move or communicate. Conservation Officer Rachael Stocker told Fox News Digital that she assisted in the rescue mission, and said Wilson was wearing cotton base layers during her trek. She said cotton is not the best to wear during hiking because the material is absorbant to sweat. She noted that on Friday, it was raining intermittently, causing the 55-year-old to succumb to the elements and suffer from severe hypothermia. "The White Mountains can be pretty unforgiving," she said. "Weather changes here in a flash." Photos from the scene of the rescue captured the misty environment and steep rocky terrain. New Hampshire Fish and Game Department conservation officers, along with volunteers from Androscoggin Valley Search and Rescue, Pemigewassett Valley Search and Rescue, Mountain Rescue Service and personnel from the Mount Washington Cog Railway, mounted a complex response in severe alpine conditions to rescue Wilson. Despite a heat wave sweeping cities from Boston to Baltimore, conditions above 5,000 feet in the White Mountains were anything but warm. On the summit of Mount Washington on Friday, temperatures hovered around 20 degrees Fahrenheit, with wind speeds reaching 120 mph and dense cloud cover reducing visibility. Several hikers in the region were reported suffering from hypothermia throughout the day, the department noted. The Cog Railway played a crucial role in the rescue operation, transporting rescue teams up the mountain and sparing them a grueling three-mile ascent via the Jewell Trail, the department said. The first rescue team reached the ridgeline at 7 p.m., with a second team arriving an hour later. Rescuers battled high winds and cold as they built a temporary shelter to stabilize Wilson before carrying her back to the waiting train. Upon arrival at the base station, Wilson was handed over to a Twin Mountain ambulance crew and transported to Littleton Regional Healthcare for further treatment, the department said. Officials credited the successful outcome to the tireless efforts of rescue volunteers and the Cog Railway's continued support in emergency efforts. "The weather was not great and the conditions were potentially life-threatening," a department said, "but each group responded to the call for assistance and endured less-than-hospitable weather conditions to save the life of this hiker."
CBS News
19-06-2025
- Climate
- CBS News
Residents concerned after part of Mount Washington church collapses
Mount Washington residents concerned about further deterioration of old church after recent storms Mount Washington residents concerned about further deterioration of old church after recent storms Mount Washington residents concerned about further deterioration of old church after recent storms People are concerned about an old deteriorating church property in Mount Washington, and they're scared it will only get worse as extreme weather continues to move through the area. Jeffrey Carder, the president of the Mount Washington Historical Society, feared the stone wall in front of the old Mount Washington Congregational Church would come crumbling down, with visible cracks in the structure that continue to grow. "This could fall into the street right here," Carder said. "All of this wall is leaning. This is not safe." The church has sat off Southern Avenue since the 1800s and has remained unoccupied for years. In recent weeks, the region has experienced multiple storms. Then, another big one ripped through the neighborhood on Tuesday. The heavy rainfall caused part of the property to collapse, with debris falling onto the sidewalk and some of the street. Carder and others are concerned about the stability of the rest. "The way they got it blocked off, in my opinion, isn't efficient enough," Carder said. (Photo: KDKA) According to the Pennsylvania Department of State and Allegheny County real estate records, a nonprofit called Covenant Church PGH LTD bought the property in December 2024 for $10,000 from Covenant Church on the Hill, which purchased it in 2006 from Mount Washington Community Church. Mount Washington Community Church had owned it since 1950. The records show the current owners have yet to pay their taxes this year. There are also for sale signs on the property, and a listing through Howard Hanna for nearly $500,000. The listing agent told KDKA-TV they're aware of the situation and the property owner "is actively working to mobilize a qualified crew to assess the extent of the damage." In the meantime, they took the listing down temporarily. Pittsburgh Councilwoman Theresa Kail-Smith of District 2 represents the neighborhood. "They feel that it broke at the tension point," Kail-Smith said. Kail-Smith said an employee with the Department of Mobility and Infrastructure determined because of that, they don't believe there's a concern for more deterioration, but an inspector with Permits, Licenses, and Inspections will do a further assessment Friday, which could lead to potential citations. A spokesperson for the mayor's office told KDKA they are not able to provide any information due to the Juneteenth holiday. "I think it's incumbent upon the people that own them to fix things, that taxpayers shouldn't be on the hook to fix your property. You bought it, but if you're not going to take care of it, then I think we should have something in place where we can take those properties," Kail-Smith said. Kail-Smith said this isn't the only property in this situation, and it's time for city departments to work more cohesively to solve the problem. In the meantime, Carder urges someone to take care of the property sooner rather than later. "I think they should be back up here as soon as possible and clean this up," Carder said. KDKA is working to track down the people behind the current nonprofit that owns the property to ask them questions and address the situation.
