DUXBURY, VT — The Department of Public Safety’s search and rescue coordinator and the Vermont State Police Search and Rescue Team helped lead an operation to save a pair of hikers in a life-threatening situation high on Camels Hump over the weekend.
The rescue operation began at about 6 p.m. Saturday when one of the hikers called 911 to report that he and his companion were on the Long Trail near the summit of the 4,083-foot peak, extremely cold and needed assistance.
Conditions at the time included subzero temperatures, wind chills approaching minus 20 degrees F, and deep snow.
Emergency crews directed the hikers — a 21-year-old man and a 19-year-old woman, both of Ontario, Canada — to the Alpine Trail and to begin descending below the tree line.
Meanwhile, VSP’s Search and Rescue Team, Camels Hump Backcountry Rescue, Huntington Backcountry Rescue and Waterbury Backcountry Rescue began mobilizing to the Monroe Trail in Duxbury.
An initial team of rescuers started climbing the peak, with an additional crew equipped with a litter ascending behind them.
Rescuers reached the hikers at about 11:20 p.m. and found them to be suffering from hypothermia.
Crews provided immediate treatment to the pair.
The 21-year-old was able to walk down the trail with assistance after being warmed; the 19-year-old was loaded onto the litter while continuing to receive treatment and was carefully brought down the mountain.
They reached the trailhead at about 4 a.m. and were met by Waterbury Ambulance, which transported the 19-year-old to the hospital for further treatment.
Both individuals are expected to make a full recovery.
Lt. Thomas Howard, commander of VSP’s SAR Team, and Drew Clymer, DPS’s SAR coordinator, agreed that the combined efforts of multiple rescue crews in incredibly challenging conditions saved the lives of the two hikers.
