CONTACT:
Lieutenant Mark Ober
603-788-4850
603-271-3361
June 6, 2022
Kilkenny, NH – NH Fish and Game Conservation Officers were notified of an injured hiker via 911 on Saturday, June 4, at approximately 1:30 p.m. The hiker had recently descended from Mt. Cabot and was hiking north on the Kilkenny Ridge Trail when he suffered a leg injury.
A rescue response was initiated with Conservation Officers and volunteers from Androscoggin Valley Search and Rescue (AVSAR) responding.
The hiker, identified as John Driscoll, 65, of East Providence, RI, was hiking with one other person when the injury occurred. While awaiting rescuers, other hikers came upon him, provided medical treatment, and assisted in getting Driscoll up and moving. Driscoll and his hiking partner had departed earlier in the day from the Unknown Pond Trailhead off Mill Brook Rd in Stark, NH. However, that was 5 miles from where his injury occurred. The shortest distance to Driscoll’s location was to take the old Mt. Cabot Trail from East Lancaster up to the Kilkenny Ridge Trail. This distance was also approximately 5 miles, but CO’s were able to utilize ATV’s to access to within .6 miles of the Bunnell Notch Trail/Kilkenny Ridge Trail junction. From there, they hiked in an additional mile until meeting Driscoll and the Good Samaritan hikers who were assisting him.
After a slow and steady hike out, the rescue team along reached the ATV at 8:30 p.m. From there, Driscoll was driven down the trail over 2 miles to awaiting vehicles and was ultimately transferred to Weeks Medical Center in Lancaster for evaluation and treatment of his injury.
Driscoll is an avid hiker and did possess a Hike Safe card.