,

Backcountry Skier Killed in Avalanche in Ammonoosuc Ravine

Sargent’s Purchase – Members of NH Fish & Game’s Advanced Search & Rescue Team along with US Forest Service personnel and volunteers from Mountain Rescue Services (MRS) located the body of a missing backcountry skier in Ammonoosuc Ravine at approximately 6:00 p.m. Wednesday night.  The rescue crew had been searching for the skier since early afternoon.

The skier, whose name is being withheld pending notification of next of kin, was reported missing by his friends Tuesday night after failing to return home or answer repeated calls.  Initial reports indicated that the skier had planned to ski either Ammonoosuc Ravine drainage or Monroe Brook drainage on Monday.

After the missing person’s report was initiated, a search of multiple trailhead parking lots Tuesday night was conducted in an attempt to locate the skier’s vehicle to confirm he was still in the backcountry. The search that night failed to locate his vehicle. His vehicle was ultimately discovered Wednesday morning in the snow filled Ammonoosuc Ravine parking lot.

When his vehicle was located a search effort was initiated and rescue personnel hiked up into both the Ammonoosuc Ravine drainage and the Monroe Brook drainage despite potential avalanche danger in an effort to locate the skier.  The  searchers spent several hours scouring both drainages, until an avalanche beacon signal was detected at approximately 4:30 p.m.  The crew had to dig down approximately 13 feet of packed snow and debris before ultimately discovering the body of the missing skier.  Several more hours ensued extracting the body.  The search party made it down to the Base Station parking lot at approximately 9:00 p.m.

Backcountry skiing is a risky venture that should only be attempted by the most prepared and experienced skiers.  This skier did have years of experience and was prepared, which was evident by his use of an avalanche transceiver, but skiing in avalanche conditions is never recommended and can be extremely dangerous.  Without the transceiver, it is possible the skier’s body most likely would not have been located until the snow completely melted in the spring.

,

DRIVE TIME: Conway Area Humane Society – Texas Trip

Conway Area Humane Society – Texas Trip – Monday February 1st, 2021

If you are a representative of a local non-profit organization or charity in the Mount Washington Valley and would like to be featured on Drive Time please email Gino at gino@wmwv.com
Brought to you by:
&
, ,

Cancellations & Delays – Tuesday, February 2nd, 2021

school-closings2

 

To Report a Cancellation or Delay contact our Office at 603-356-8870

 

Tuesday, February 2nd, 2021

 

Businesses & Organizations:

 

Gibson Center – CLOSED

Vaughan Food Pantry – CLOSED

MWV Adult Day Center – CLOSED

Tamworth Town Office – CLOSED

Conway Selectmen’s Meeting – CANCELLED

Maine State Offices – CLOSED

Conway Public Library – CLOSED

Jackson Public Library – CLOSED

North Conway Public Library – CLOSED

Jean Limmer Dance Center – CLOSED

Ossipee Concerned Citizens – CLOSED

Cook Memorial Library – CLOSED

North Fryeburg Community Chapel Food Pantry – Postponed until Tomorrow February 3rd from 4-5:30pm

Mountain Top Music Center – No In-Person Lessons

Conway Town Office – CLOSES @ 4PM

Eaton Town Clerk’s Office – CLOSED

 

 

Cancellations and Delays are brought to you by:

Granite State Glass

 

,

New Hampshire Fish and Game Had a Busy Weekend

Snowmobile Crash with Injury in Gorham

Gorham: On the late morning of Friday, January 29, 2021, a Massachusetts man sustained significant injuries after crashing his rented snowmobile on the Town Access Trail a short distance from Main Street in Gorham.

It was determined that Konstantin Ioannidis, 30, of Watertown, MA had been operating a snowmobile as part of a guided tour group.  At approximately 11:54 AM, Ioannidis lost control of his machine and subsequently went off of the trail and stuck a tree.  Ioannidis was thrown from the machine upon impact and sustained serious injuries a result of the crash.  Immediately following the crash, a 911 call was placed from the scene to request medical assistance.

A response from Gorham Fire and EMS, Gorham Police Department and Conservation Officers began.  The crash scene was located in very close proximity to Bellevue Place, which provided easy access for responding rescue personnel.  Ioannidis was subsequently taken from the scene by Gorham Ambulance to Androscoggin Valley Hospital in Berlin for further evaluation and treatment of injuries.

Conservation Officers believe inexperience to be the primary factor in this crash.  It was determined that this had been the first time Ioannidis had ever been snowmobiling and that the crash occurred minutes into his ride.

Woman Sustains Serious Injuries in Rental Snowmobile Collision

Randolph: At approximately 10:00 AM on Saturday, January 30th, 2021, a woman sustained serious, but non-life threatening injuries when she lost control of the rental snowmobile she had been operating and collided with a tree. The incident occurred on Trail 12a in the area of the Warming Hut in the Town of Randolph. The operator of the snowmobile was identified as Colleen M. Legros, age 43, of North Andover, Massachusetts.

After the collision 911 was contacted and notifications were made to emergency personnel about the incident.  First responders from the Randolph Fire Department, Gorham Fire Department and Gorham Ambulance responded to the scene.  A Conservation Officer with the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department also responded to both the scene and hospital to assist with the rescue and investigation.  Due to the nature of the injuries to the operator and the distance from any maintained road, the operator was transported from the scene of the collision to an awaiting ambulance on a tracked utility terrain vehicle (UTV). Ultimately, the operator was transported by Gorham Ambulance to Androscoggin Valley Hospital in Berlin for further evaluation and treatment.

 According to the operator, she had started her ride approximately an hour before the incident occurred and had very little experience operating a snowmobile. Based on information provided by the operator and a witness, the snow machine was making a turn in the area of the Warming Hut when she suddenly mistook the throttle for the brake and accelerated abruptly over a snow bank, through the air and into a tree. The operator was wearing a helmet and had appropriate gear for the conditions. Operator inexperience is considered the primary contributing factor in the collision. Alcohol or drugs were not a factor in the collision.

Picture Courtesy of NH Fish and Game

Snowmobilers Injured

BARTLETT: Over the weekend Conservation Officers responded to two separate snow mobile crashes in Bartlett.  On Saturday, January 30th shortly after 1:00 PM New Hampshire Fish and Game was notified that a snowmobile had crashed on the Stanley Brook Trail in Bartlett. The operator was Joseph Cochran, 57 of Chelsea, MA.  He was operating a borrowed snow machine.  He made a hard turn and was thrown from the machine.  Members of his party were able to transport him by snow machine back to town and he was treated by members of the Bartlett / Jackson Ambulance service for serious but non-life threatening injuries.  He was then relayed by ambulance to the Memorial Hospital in North Conway for additional care.

A second snow machine accident occurred shortly after 11:00 AM in the same area on Sunday, January 31st Conservation Officers were notified of a snow machine accident on the Lower Haystack Trail in Bartlett.  Dorothy Seitz, 60 of Colchester, CT was operating a rented snow machine when she accelerated rapidly while negotiating a left hand turn.  Her machine left the trail and impacted a tree.  She suffered injuries to her head and both wrists. Personnel from Bartlett / Jackson Ambulance and the Bartlett Police Department responded to the scene. She was placed in a rescue sled and transported out to a waiting ambulance that took her to the Memorial Hospital in North Conway for additional care.  No further details on either accident are available at this time.

Hiker Off Trail

CHATHAM:  On Sunday, January 31st shortly before 3:00 PM David Wagner, 62 of Gorham, ME phoned 911 after losing the Baldface Circle Trail in the area of North Baldface Mountain. Coordinates from the call placed him nearly 1,000 feet of trail and 300 feet below it in elevation. David was able to regain the trail at the summit of North Baldface and planned to retrace his route back to the trailhead a distance of 5.0 miles. Cell phone service is poor in the area.  Shorly after 5:00 PM David was able to call in and relay his location before the call dropped.  He was nearly 4.0 miles from the trailhead at that time.  Ultimately, he was well equipped and was able to continue out on his own power. He arrived at the trailhead shortly before 7:30 PM.

,

Single Car Motor Vehicle Accident Closes Main Street in Conway

On Sunday evening at 4:17 pm Conway Police officers responded to a report of a single vehicle crash in the area of Granite State Group on Route 16 near the intersection of West Main Street. When officers arrived on scene, they discovered a 2017 Toyota Corolla that had come to rest approximately 15 feet off the roadway on the west side of the roadway facing south. The Toyota sheared a telephone pole in half which caused a second pole to break due to the force of the collision. The male operator, identified to be Nicholas Caswell (29 years old) from Portsmouth, NH, was already outside of the vehicle and had a laceration to his hand. He was treated on scene by Conway Ambulance and was not transported to the hospital.

Due to the fact that there were lines down across Route 16 as a result of the damage to the two telephone poles, Route 16 was shut down and traffic was diverted along West Main Street. The roadway remained closed until approximately 7:00 am Monday morning as service crews made repairs to the down wires. Nicholas Caswell told investigators that he fell asleep at the wheel. Witnesses to the crash observed the vehicle veer off the roadway and it did not appear to brake or slow down.

~ Conway Police Chief Chris Mattei

,

Shaheen & Hassan Announce Christa McAuliffe Commemorative Coin to be Made Available as U.S. Recognizes 35th Anniversary of Challenger Tragedy

(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) issued the following statements after the Christa McAuliffe Commemorative Coin became available for pre-order today, which is the 35th anniversary of the Challenger tragedy. Shaheen led the bipartisan legislation with Senators Mike Enzi (R-WY) and Hassan to create the commemorative coin in honor of Christa McAuliffe, the Concord teacher who died aboard the Space Shuttle Challenger in 1986. Proceeds from this coin will promote American commitment to Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education.

“On this difficult day, my thoughts are with Christa McAuliffe’s family and all who knew and loved her, as well as the family and friends of the six others lost aboard the Challenger. In New Hampshire schools and more across the country, it’s imperative that Christa’s story is told and that her legacy endures,” said Shaheen. “That’s why I wrote this legislation. It pays tribute to her life and devotion to education and helps ensure young people understand who Christa was and what she meant to her community and country. It is a fitting tribute to honor Christa’s memory by investing in STEM education, and I’m glad to see these commemorative coins be made available so we can make good on that effort. Her mission will live on in generations of students who will also reach for the stars.”

“Today we join together in remembering the life and legacy of Christa McAuliffe and the six others who lost their lives aboard the Challenger space shuttle,” said Hassan. “Christa’s passion for teaching and her ability to inspire a love of learning in the next generation endures. Her impressive legacy is taught in classrooms throughout New Hampshire and the country, and I am glad to be a part of efforts to honor her life further through this commemorative coin. The proceeds from this coin will help carry on Christa’s work to encourage more young people to get involved in STEM education and find their passion for discovery.”

Shaheen’s bipartisan legislation to create a commemorative coin honoring Christa McAuliffe, the Christa McAuliffe Commemorative Coin Act, was signed into law in 2019. The bill passed the Senate and the House of Representatives with strong bipartisan support, and further reaffirms American commitment to Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education and supports it with proceeds from the coin.  Last month, Shaheen released a video message celebrating the coin’s unveiling. Senator Shaheen also entered a statement into the Congressional Record celebrating Christa McAuliffe’s life and service.

As the Vice Chair of the Senate Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee, Senator Shaheen has been a strong advocate for STEM education and scientific research funding priorities. During her time in the Senate, Shaheen has also worked to secure scientific research funding for New Hampshire universities and businesses. In June, Senator Shaheen hosted a virtual roundtable with NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine to highlight contracting opportunities for Granite State small businesses to support NASA’s ongoing space exploration technology research efforts and the Artemis program, which aims to land the next humans on the Moon. Last year, Bridenstine joined Shaheen in visits to the University of New Hampshire’s Space Science Center and Mikrolar, a contractor for NASA. The events came on the heels of UNH’s selection by NASA for a highly-competitive $107.9 million contract award through the Earth Venture program.