New Ipswich — Five young hikers were located and safely escorted out of the woods off Boynton Hill Road on Sunday night after becoming lost along the Wapack Trail network.
New Hampshire Fish and Game Conservation Officers were notified of the stranded group at approximately 7:54 PM on Sunday.
The hikers—identified as Collin Harrison, 21, Emma Christie, 18, Camdin Norton, 19, and Jeremiah Soto, 20, all of Fitchburg, Massachusetts, alongside Mason Gendron, 18, of Ashby, Massachusetts —had set off earlier Sunday from the Wapack trailhead.
After straying from the trail and losing their bearings, the group called for emergency assistance. Responding Conservation Officers found the party uninjured about 900 feet from the nearest road and guided them back to safety. Officers noted that the group was collectively unprepared for the conditions and duration of their hike.
Following the incident, officials re-emphasized the importance of outdoor preparedness, urging all hikers to carry the "Ten Essentials" detailed on the Hike Safe website.
Outdoor enthusiasts can support search-and-rescue operations by purchasing a Hike Safe card.
Sunday's rescue operation was funded entirely by the NH Hike Safe Card program and the state's Search & Rescue Fund.
New Hampshire does not use revenue from hunting, fishing, or trapping licenses to fund search and rescue missions.
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