Backcountry skier dies amid icy conditions on New Hampshire’s Mount Washington
The steep bowl at Tuckerman Ravine on New Hampshire’s Mount Washington has long made it a favorite spot for expert skiers and snowboarders who are seeking adventure beyond the comparative safety of the state’s ski areas.
MEREDITH, N.H. — The steep bowl at Tuckerman Ravine on New Hampshire’s Mount Washington has long made it a favorite spot for expert skiers and snowboarders who are seeking adventure beyond the comparative safety of the state’s ski areas.
But hard and icy conditions on Saturday turned the bowl deadly, with temperatures in the early afternoon reaching the low 20s and getting colder as the day progressed, according to National Weather Service data.
Madison Saltsburg, 20, died after falling about 600 vertical feet down the ravine in the afternoon, according to the U.S. Forest Service. Two other skiers suffered serious injuries after falling and hitting rocks and ice. And there were a number of other falls witnessed throughout the day which didn’t result in serious injuries, the service said.
A telephone message to a forest service spokesperson seeking information about Saltsburg wasn’t immediately returned Sunday.
The day of accidents prompted search efforts that continued for hours in the dark as teams worked to rescue the injured skiers and remove Saltsburg’s body from the mountain. Heavy, wet snow started to fall Saturday night and winds began to pick up, forcing the rescuers to battle on through the worsening conditions.
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