CONTACT:
Sergeant Alex Lopashanski
603-744-5470
603-271-3361
November 30, 2020
Tamworth, NH – On Saturday, November 28 shortly before 3:30 p.m., New Hampshire Fish and Game was notified that two hikers were off trail and had phoned for assistance. The hikers were Mattea Gennell, 23, of Cambridge, MA, and her mother Lisa, 56, of Methuen, MA. After speaking with them and giving them directions, the pair were able to regain the trail and hike out to an alternate trailhead prior to darkness.
Recently there has been an increase in calls where hikers have become disoriented using cell phone mapping applications. Many of these applications contain mapping errors and they also do not function well or at all in areas without cell service. Less popular trail systems can be poorly marked and fresh leaf litter in the fall can also make route finding difficult so a paper map, a compass, and a handheld GPS unit are important items to bring when venturing into the mountains.