Mass. teen survives three nights in the N.H. mountains

A battery-operated GPS is a definite must even for the most simple of day hikes. But even more important is a good old fashioned COMPASS. If you get lost in the middle of nowhere for a good amount of time it's a very real possibility that those batteries could die. Too many hikers rely on GPS and don't know how to read a compass.

Very glad that he is okay but wow, one thing I will teach my kids is to never go hiking in places like Mt. Washington alone, especially in the spring. This guy is really lucky he wasn't killed by an avalanche.

Here comes the wrath of taxpayers who want the Masons to pay for the search. How about if those people got into an automobile accident requiring the Jaws of Life to be used and we asked them to pay for the service?

I am so pleased that this young man was found. God bless this young man and his family.

I am glad that they found this boy. It could have turned out a lot worse. I am happy for the family.

he should be responsible for he cost of searching for him, Everyone should carry a cell phone when they are hiking. He was okay and everyone was worried and the cost to the state is foolish.

I'm am glad that they found him well but he didn't get very far. Which brings into question his experience and the prudence of setting out on such an ambitious hike alone, crampons and snowshoes or not.

It's irresponsible for a parent to allow a minor to hike the Presidentials alone this time of year.

The family should be charged for the rescue!

If he's supposed to be an experienced hiker and teach others hiking skills, why is it he didn't follow one of the primary rules of hiking... always hike in groups of 3 or more. It's confusing how someone can be praised while lacking common sense. He was LUCKY this time... what's going to happen next time.

Always wear a whistle when you are hiking, whether you are in a group or by yourself.

Why was he hiking that distance alone?

His parent's should give him a big hug and then a smack to the head.

I'm sorry but the Mason family are a collection of idiots. I hope the USFS and assorted rescue organizations send them a bill for their services. A 17 yo, hiking alone in the Northern Presidentials, in April? Yup, idiots.

Thank goodness he is safe and sound! Best wishes to him and his family.

Very glad that this young guy was found, but sincerely hope that he reimburses the emergency crews that spent thousands of dollars searching for him.

Well, the scout training missed one mark: Like swimming, NEVER go alone!

Great that he's alive!
Having said that, why was this boy hiking alone?
If his parents knew, they should be ashamed of themselves.
That's just one of many mistakes he made that put himself and others at risk .
One snowstorm and this story could have a had a much sadder ending.
Looks like he needs more experience to me.
His parents will most likely be getting the bill soon.

I am very relieved he is safe. Now, the kid's a minor--not an experienced hiker or anything else. Mom should be charged with negligence and endangerment and made to pay all rescue costs. It's reckless to undertake such an ambitious hike alone and downright poor parenting to allow a child to do it alone.

I'm glad he was found safe but what were he and his parents thinking by letting him hike alone! Safety in numbers for risky adventures, people, no matter how old you are!

Great now I hope the state of NH charges this moron for the cost of the rescue efforts.

This young man may have scared a few family and friends but it goes to show you the skills that a SCOUT can learn. Those skills may have saved his life.

I'm glad to see he made it out alive but apparently having common sense is not a prerequisite for becoming an Eagle Scout. Get him a haircut and a cell phone. Next time he gets lost in the woods he can dial M for Moron.

He is an adult making adult decisions. Why should his parents be responsible for him..? He survived just fine. ??? What is with so-called adults saying what were his parents thinking? In our "nanny-state" of today, what should we do supply him with a pacifier and diaper??? As an Eagle Scout, who hiked across the continental divide in Rocky Mountain National Park (before I was 18) with friends (I do agree that it is safer to hike with others)... What is the big deal, the world is a big place and sometimes bad things happen that as an adult, you need to be able to handle. He did not act in a dangerous manner, unlike other morons that try to climb mountains with clothesline and truly endanger others by needing to be rescued.

First of all, I’m glad this young man is OK.

A cell phone working in the mountains? Apparently some of you posting here rely too much on technology to live your lives and have a false sense of security as to how much it can really help you. I'll tell you first hand that a cell phone doesn't work on Mount Washington or in other remote parts of the Northern Woods. I was there this past weekend skiing Tuckerman's Ravine…zero bars for reception when I went to send a picture message to a friend to show them the conditions.

Even if a cell phone did work in that environment, what happens if it got wet, or the battery went dead? You're outta luck unless you know what you're doing, which this kid did fortunately.

As for the “charging for his rescue” comments, which I think are totally idiotic, he did nothing negligent, nor did his parents. He complied with every standard for hiking: He had a set route. He had supplies and outdoorsman experience (far more than most of you posting here who take your family on “casual” hikes in the woods). He told others where he was going and in what time frame he planned to complete that route, including the AMC mountain ranger station in Pinkham Notch.

So what happens for those who hike up to Mount Washington to ski Tuckerman’s Ravine to go skiing, and someone has an accident and gets hurt? Should they be charged for their rescue, which is performed by a volunteer ski patrol? Should YOU be charged for your rescue if you get into a car accident if you choose to go out into weather that isn’t 100% conducive for driving, like if it’s snowing like crazy and there’s an advisory to stay off the roads?

Think, people, think. There is a reason why these systems are in place. Should the unfortunate ever happen, and it does. There is a difference when gross negligence is at hand, and this isn’t one of those times.

I suspect that some of you posting that this kid should be charged are just upset that they don’t have the ability to go out and challenge themselves physically, mentally and emotionally by experiencing nature in all it’s beauty and at times unyielding ferocity.

So... he wasn't even lost?

Please don't think hiking in the White Mountains with a cell phone would have necessarily saved him. I have done extensive hiking up there and most of the time you are far enough into the wilderness that your cell phone does not work. It's not a bad idea to carry it, but you should NEVER neglect having the right equipment and checking conditions ahead of time even if you're carrying a cell phone since it's not a sure thing. Also, hiking Mount Washington any time of the year, much less when winter conditions exist (like now many times there are avalanche conditions) , can very much be underestimated. Smarter to hike with a partner too!

This child 'learned' just enough to put him in danger and bring a lot of trouble, personal risk, and expense to others. Plan a seventeen-mile mountain hike in snow ALONE? Scouts teach him that too?!

I believe that in NH it is a state law that you pay for any rescue efforts made in your behalf. As far as the cell phone idea goes, there probably is no reception in the mountains up there.

Every good Eagle Scout knows you should always hike with a buddy. The fact he wasn't was negligent. I'm glad he's okay, but obviously knew he was taking a risk.

Very lucky and very foolish.
Last year at this time a woman from MA was killed when a boulder dislodged due to thawing ice and crushed her skull. I remember the blood all over the trail when I hiked by.
This time of year is one of the most dangerous due to the deep and soft snow, thawing ice, and high water.
Shame on the adults who let him go alone. This is no scouting accomplishment! This was foolhardy behavior.

I'm glad they found him alive. Now he got his 15 minutes of fame. The state of NH should send the bill to his family to pay for the rescue costs. That way other would think about it twice before doing stupidities.

He did everything right. There is no rule about hiking with others, hundreds of people hike the trail alone. He filed a hiking plan, had the right gear, and was fine when they found him. He did not need to be rescued.

How do you know what experience he has? He earned his Eagle Scout rank- meaning he received training in areas such as hiking, camping, wilderness survival, first aid, emergency preparedness, etc. Why don't you armchair QBs go back to eating bon bons while watching TV.

He was not a moron, he made the right decisions and was prepared, and goodness knows he's smarter than any of you accusing the parents of being neglectful. Let's hear it for smart, prepared kids and the adults who let them grow up able to care for themselves. Cell phones do NOT protect you in the wild, in fact, they often don't work on mountaintops. The skills and know-how that this young man clearly has *do* protect you Most of you clearly know nothing about hiking and wilderness skills. This young man does, and congratulations to him. That distance is a perfectly reasonable one for an eagle scout or any reasonably skilled hiker. It must seem impossible for those who live entirely in the city or aren't familiar with hiking, I'm sure, but it's very reasonable to make a 17 mile loop on one's own as a teenager.

The boy did not ask for a rescue, and was quite well prepared to take care of himself and eventually get out on his own.

Bill Bryson writes about Mt. Washington in his Walk in the Woods. Hiking it alone does seem like a needless risk, regardless of experience. And with unpredictable weather on that range in particular, even in summer, wouldn't crampons and snowshoes not be of much use if the hiker becomes disoriented? For instance, doesn't hypothermia cause people to think they're hot when they're actually freezing?

Sounds like the kid learned a valuable lesson about the difficulty of hiking in deep spring snow and how the snow melt affects the streams that are easily crossable in the summer time. Otherwise it sounds like he did the right things and had the correct gear. I'm glad he's ok and I hope he continues his adventures.

Glad he is ok but what a bozo for challenging the Presidential Range in the early spring.
I think the boy scouts of America should do some more educating on this subject..

sorry, I think this was an incredibly selfish, irresponsible and immature act (I am ok with the immature part, he's a kid, 17). He is lucky he is not dead. I do believe in the fine system to hold people accountable for their acts, too many yahoos with gps and cell phones. The problem is, acts like this endanger the lives of those who seek to safely bring them home (or retrieve their bodies). He has been there before, so there is no excuse for assuming he can blast this hike in one day in what is (warm or not) essentially winter conditions. Plus he added libbed on the route after his mistake. That hike in April, no slepping or bivy or sleeping bag, he is a very lucky young man.

Let's all just stay indoors. You might hurt yourself on the way to your car. Better yet - Don't get into you car. Even better -Stay on the first floor of your house locked inside. Those stairs can be dangerous! Close the blinds-the sun might give you cancer. Let's charge everyone fees for everything. Maybe those in NH who complain about recouping SAR costs should move to Kansas where it isn't much of a concern. GO hiking as long as it's NOT IN MY BACKYARD.
By the way, Bill Bryson was a Sissy. I walked all 2,170+ miles of the Appalachian Trail all by myself. Call me reckless and irresponsible. I didn't
have a cell phone. How did I ever make it??? Yeah right, never hike alone...

.

He could have been included in the next update of "Not Without Peril", the 100+ deaths on Mt. Washington. Sadly, he is just the tip of the iceberg. There are hundreds if not thousands of people trekking the Whites who are clueless. A small percentage of them get in trouble and we have to pay to rescue them, or take out their bodies. Just because you can park your car and start walking up a trail it doesn't mean you know what the heck you are doing. I hope we don't have to build a "gate" and have everyone pass a test to see if they are smart enough, experienced enough, etc.

He was prepared.
A cellphone would not have helped.
Compasses don't help you navigate through deep snow.
"Every good Eagle Scout knows you should always hike with a buddy. The fact he wasn't was negligent"
And every eagle scout knows you don't separate from each other.
If he had hiked with other people they would have been searching for the whole group instead of just one beasue they would have stayed together.
You do not separate from the people you are hiking with..

EMason and Diamondcutter are right on. The rest of you should not comment without facts. Opinions are fine, but he did nothing negligent.

to all of you idiots who think a hike up mt monadnock in october makes you experts...this kid was smart, stayed safe, and was easliy found becasue he followed the most important rules of solo-hiking: be prepared, have a plan, and tell someone where you are headed. 17 is certainly old enough to hike alone if you are prepared and expereinced, which he obviously was. If the kid learned one thing, it is always remember that you can't count on stream crossings this time of year. Some general facts for the obvious non-hikers who posted: 1) you can NOT count on cell phones to work unless you are on top of Mt Washington next to the radio tower. A cell phone is not a backup plan or a safety net in the mountains 2) Bill Bryson is NOT an expert on Mt Washington, hiking, or backcountry camping

The tone of 95% of the comments - "charge him for the rescue", etc. tell me that most of the posters spend more time on the couch than in the mountains.

Give this kid all the credit in the World. While his peers are sitting at home, fat and lazy, in front of video games he is out tackling a major league hike. His ONLY mistake, as far as I can see is that he was a bit overoptimistic on his ability to do the entire hike in a day. I know exactly what he was trying to do when he cut down into the Great Gulf and it's unfortunate that the drainage was flooded or this story never would have happened. It's obvious he had a map and a compass and knew how to use them otherwise he would have simply followed the ridgeline like he originally intended.

As far as all the whining about hiking alone - give it a rest. While it's not a 100% safe practice, particularly in early Spring conditions, its not verboten either. Sometimes its quite rewarding to step out of your comfort zone and attempt something new and difficult - try it sometime!

Finally, lay off the parents! At least they knew where their kid was and what he was doing - more than I can say for many parents these days. He could have met worse fates hanging out at the local Mall.

Perhaps mandate personal location devices which could be rented (similar to those used by skiers) for hikers when they file hiking plans. If folks choose not to use them, they should definitely incur a larger portion of rescue costs. With all of the budget cuts & costs there has to be some sharing of the consequences. Having folks rescued pay some deductible if not all of the rescue costs would seem appropriate. Folks that get into accidents on the road sometimes get tickets with monetary consequences if one wants to take the 'jaws of life' analogy a little further.

I'm no hiking expert but what I do know is that these days there is a onetime use device (forgive me for not knowing the name) that can send an emergency beacon. It's quite expensive but IMO worth it as a last resort if you go hiking, esp. alone, and end up in trouble that planning can't handle.

"he should be responsible for he cost of searching for him, Everyone should carry a cell phone when they are hiking. He was okay and everyone was worried and the cost to the state is foolish.

Posted by bonnie April 28, 09 12:46 PM"

Well Bonnie, if you need to call 911 after a car accident, let's hope they wait a while and then bill you. The youngster was prepared to the extent he was taught (more detailed knowledge of the trail conditions would have been nice... but most adults would have fluffed that), he made reasonable plans, and then took what he thought was a consevative course of action when the original plan went over schedule. This isn't a case of the wheezing idiot type who goes up Washington in a T-shirt and cries for help.

Oh, the cell phone? That won't work in most of the area. There are a few areas where voice calls will work -- but that's not where you get lost -- then maybe a wider range for txt. Yes his parents should have given him one, which could at some point might have gotten a text message out and made the story into a footnote at most. Maybe they can't afford one, or maybe they don't give their kids phones; these days we alternately pander to and persecute kids so much that they may have decided on "no cellphones for our teens". Finally, he didn't beg for anyone to bail him out, in fact he was walking on his own back to the road with less than 30 minutes to go when found.
Seems like a good kid. One of those is worth more than 10 of the helpless, overprotected ninny-nannied types.

As I stated in my earlier comment, this kid had the right gear and made the right decisions (except for deciding to drop down into Great Gulf). He did what 17 y/o's are supposed to do: He got some life experience! Good for him.
There is nothing wrong with solo hiking in the Presidentials at any time of the year if you are prepared as he obviously was. Given a few more hours he would have walked out on his own.
Those of you that think he should be fined, or that hikers should carry rescue beacons need to get out more and live life a bit more on the edge. You don't grow if you don't push your comfort zone.

Add me to the list of folks shaking my heads at the idjits who are talking about cell phones. What do they think, that backcountry bushwhacking in the Presidentials comes with street signs and addresses?

Look, guys, this kid was plainly experienced - even with record breaking high temps in the White Mountains the last few days, a lot of the couch potato backseat drivers here'd be dead after three days in the Presidentials - he was prepared, and he made it out with little harm done. In the fluffy bunny world so many of you demand, this must be a scary and horrifying story; we get that. So why not stick to that, and leave the rest of us to admire this canny and prepared young man.

I thought that Eagle Scouts were supposed to be smart. I think everyone is somewhat correct/wrong. I personally don't hike Mt. Wash. until Aug/Sept., but thats only my way. He/his family should be responsible for their actions and a cash donation would be acceptable to those who risk their lives and time. I think he did it for publicity or some type of idenity thing.

The backlash that Scott or his family are idiots for his solo hiking or that they ought to be charged for the rescue is utterly misplaced. If you bother to read the NH Fish and Game HikeSafe site you will see he followed every rule. Solo hiking for a healthy, experienced 17 year old is not unreasonable (in the history of civilization 17 y/o men have fought as soldiers in virtually all wars). Now the Nanny-State proponents want to see a leash put on smart, capable young people.

Texting while driving is a far more dangerous and pointless act that will kill innocent people and cost a lot more in terms of emergency services. Bill them! Give the solo hiking eagle scout a break. He was properly equipped and self rescuing which is exactly what F & G asks of hikers. If he had a buddy, then they both would have been missing and this situation would have been identical.

As a person who has hiked all the peaks in the White Mountains in both the summer and winter months and has done a Presidential Traverse many times, I find it completely ridiculous that this kid could think that he could hike 17 miles in one day (with a rather late morning start). 17 miles is a long day in the summer, never mind in winter conditions. He may have had extra food and stuff but he wasn't prepared. In the very first sentence of this article, it says "his undeterred quest". He bit off way more than he could chew and when he finally figured out that he couldn't do it, instead of turning around, he chose one of the worst trails to hike down. Due to its steepness, it is very seldom used for descent. He should have planned his route better and known what the best trails were in case he had to bail. Most streams in the area are high right now. It happens every year and it explains that in the White Mountain Guide. His family should definitely be responsible for the rescue fees. His family says he is an experienced hiker. In both summer and winter conditions? Just because a kid has an Eagle Scout badge doesn't mean they can do anything. It means they can follow through with something long term, do what they are supposed to do and collect badges. I've been to many shelters up in the white mountains and have run into scout groups that have just been above tree line in a rain storm without any raingear. Just the wet jeans and t-shirts they were wearing. Nothing to change in to. The latest group was last June (temps in the 40's) and they were lead by 3 Eagle Scouts from Massachusetts. They were completely unprepared and thought it was funny. How funny would it had been if they needed to be rescued and someone from the team was hurt in the process. People need to think about the consequences of their actions. I'm glad everything turned out alright but this kid and his parents are at fault.

"I find it completely ridiculous that this kid could think that he could hike 17 miles in one day (with a rather late morning start). 17 miles is a long day in the summer, never mind in winter conditions"

This This and This.
Attempting this trip at this time of year with no overnight gear was this kids big mistake. Last year I was hiking in the whites in the last week of May and there was knee to waist deep snow for miles on end. It took me 10 hours to hike 3 miles. It takes a long time for the snow to melt in the upper sections of the whites....

His biggest mistake was hiking alone. Another was hiking 17 miles -way too much -if you don't have snowshoes in deep snow. 5 miles is too much without needed footwear(snowshoes or crampons). HIS EYES ARE BIGGER THAN HIS FEET....he needs to be humbler with his ambitions. he DEFINITELY did something wrong!