CONTACT:
Lieutenant Mark Ober
603-788-4850
603-271-3361
July 16, 2026
Randolph, NH – On Wednesday, July 15, 2026 at 2:45 p.m., NH Fish and Game received a 911 call about a hiker in distress on the Valley Way Trail in Randolph. The call came in from a passing hiker reporting that the 59-year-old hiker was unable to continue down the trail. The GPS coordinates placed the hiker 0.7 miles from the Appalachia Trailhead parking lot.
A Fish and Game Conservation Officer who happened to be close by utilized his ATV to access the hiker, put him on the ATV, and drove him down to the parking lot. The hiker, identifed as Christopher Kriesen of Webster, NY, had hiked up the day before and spent the night at Madison Spring Hut. After struggling to make it up the last ½ mile of trail during the ascent and not feeling well, Kriesen decided to forgo his plans of a presidential traverse and descend back down Valley Way Trail. However, even after eating and drinking, Kriesen suffered muscle weakness and got to the point of being unable to continue on. He was attempting to descend the trail by sliding down on his behind when the call for help was made.
Kriesen has an extensive past of hiking several mountains out west plus completing a full presidential traverse 10 years ago, but had not hiked or done much strenuous activity in the past 5 years, which likely contributed to his fatigue and ultimate muscle failure.