CONTACT:
Sgt. Heidi Murphy
603-744-5470
603-271-3361
February 20, 2024
Bethlehem, NH – On Saturday, February 17, 2024, at approximately 2:50 p.m., the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department was notified of an injured hiker in need of assistance. The hiker was located just below the summit of Mt. Avalon and was unable to move on her own. Right before her injury, she had been using a small sled to assist her down some steep sections of the trail. Unfortunately she could not control her speed and direction and hit a tree, suffering a lower-leg injury. She was hiking with a friend, who stayed with her as other Good Samaritan hikers reached out offering assistance. They were also able to provide her with extra clothing to stay warm while awaiting rescue personnel. The hiker was identified as Cassandra Haskell, 37, of Bath, Maine.
Conservation Officers and rescue volunteers from the Pemigewasset Valley Search and Rescue Team responded to Mt. Avalon trailhead to assist. The first rescuers reached Haskell at approximately 5:30 p.m. and began to assess her injuries. She was loaded into a rescue sled and brought down the mountain, arriving at the trailhead at approximately 7:15 pm. Personnel from Bethlehem Emergency Services attended to Haskell’s injuries and transported her to Littleton Regional Healthcare for further evaluation and treatment.
New Hampshire Fish and Game would like to remind hikers to prepare themselves before venturing out into the wilderness, including packing the ten essential items: map, compass, warm clothing, extra food and water, headlamp, fire starter, first aid kit, whistle, rain/wind jackets and pants, and a knife. For additional information, please visit www.hikeSafe.com.