Litchfield Woman Injured When Conservation Officers Say A Man From Jefferson Struck Her Snowmobile.

JEFFERSON, NH – A two-sled collision on a popular trail junction sent a Litchfield woman to the hospital Sunday afternoon, following what investigators describe as a failure to maintain trail lane positioning.

At approximately 1:10 p.m. Sunday, emergency responders from Jefferson Fire and EMS, Lancaster Ambulance, and the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department were dispatched to Corridor 5. The accident occurred on the "pipeline" section of the trail, situated between US Route 2 and Valley Road.

The collision took place roughly 100 yards south of the Corridor 11 junction. According to Conservation Officers, the two operators were traveling in opposite directions as they approached a hillcrest:

Kristine Salter, 55, of Litchfield, was traveling northwest on Corridor 5.

Jeffery Johnson, 19, of Jefferson, was traveling southeast on the same trail.

As the two snowmobiles reached the crest of the hill, Johnson reportedly crossed over into the opposing lane, striking Salter’s machine. The force of the impact ejected both riders from their snowmobiles and left both vehicles with extensive damage.

While Johnson emerged from the crash uninjured, Salter sustained non-life-threatening injuries. She was treated at the scene before being transported to Weeks Medical Center in Lancaster for further care.

New Hampshire Fish and Game officials have launched an investigation into the incident. Preliminary findings, bolstered by witness statements and physical evidence at the scene, suggest that the primary causes of the crash were failure to keep right and traveling at a speed inconsistent with maintaining control to avoid a collision.

New Hampshire Fish and Game reminds all riders that "keeping to the right" is the most fundamental rule of trail safety, especially when approaching blind hills or curves.