Two Florida Snowmobilers Rescued After Becoming Lost in Pisgah State Park

CHESTERFIELD, NH – Two Florida men were rescued from a harrowing situation Saturday night after becoming lost while snowmobiling in the freezing wilderness of Pisgah State Park.

The emergency began at approximately 6:36 PM on February 7, when New Hampshire Fish and Game Conservation Officers received a distress call via State Police Dispatch. Two riders, later identified as Carlos Garcia-Cardona, 37, and Cameron Cattery, 27, both of Clearwater, Florida, had lost their way within the sprawling park.

A Race Against the Cold

Conditions on the ground were life-threatening. With ambient temperatures hovering around 2 degrees and wind chills plummeting well below zero, time was of the essence.

A Conservation Officer managed to establish brief phone contact with the pair, learning that they were facing a "triple threat" of equipment and environmental failures:

Critically low fuel in their snowmobiles.
Failing phone batteries, threatening their only link to help.
Oncoming hypothermia as the sub-zero wind chills took hold.

Utilizing a snowmobile to navigate the park's interior, a Conservation Officer successfully located Garcia-Cardona and Cattery at approximately 7:30 PM. While the men were suffering from the extreme cold, officials confirmed they were otherwise unharmed.

The officer escorted the pair to a nearby trailhead. From there, the Chesterfield Police Department assisted in transporting the riders back to their local lodging.

Following the incident, New Hampshire Fish and Game issued a statement urging all outdoor enthusiasts to respect the volatility of the winter season.

"New Hampshire Fish and Game reminds all snowmobile riders to be mindful of conditions and potential hazards, to be prepared, and always utilize sound judgment."

©Jeffrey Hastings www.frameofmindphoto.com/news