DUXBURY, Vt. (WCAX) – Two hikers are safe after a dangerous rescue on Camel’s Hump over the weekend, thanks to a team of dedicated rescue volunteers.
Three search and rescue teams were called to Camel’s Hump on Saturday around 6:30 p.m. to help a 21-year-old man and a 19-year-old woman, both from Ontario.
“Saturday night, we received a call from Burlington dispatch that we had two lost, stranded, distressed hikers close to the summit of Camel’s Hump on the Long Trail,” said Drew Clymer, the Vermont State Police search and rescue coordinator.
For Clymer, technology was crucial in locating the pair. “Immediately, we have their location, and I can make phone contact with them. So, we start mapping their location and any progress they make,” Clymer said.
Michael Chiarella with Richmond Rescue said the crew reached the hikers just before midnight. He described a dire scene for all involved. “The snow was extremely deep up high, and it was about -15 up high on the mountain, so it was very difficult conditions for the teams to work in,” he said.
Crews determined that the 21-year-old could hike down the mountain with support. But the 19-year-old couldn’t walk, and they had to slide her down in a litter.
“The elements were winning. They were both hypothermic when they were encountered. They were not prepared for that level of cold up there,” said Clymer, who says the rescue effort was coordinated entirely by trained volunteers. “Those volunteers were truly volunteers that dropped what they were doing and worked until 4 a.m. to get them out.”
“This was a joint effort between three teams and the state search and rescue coordinator. Without all these teams collaborating, we could not do this,” Chiarella said. He added that winter hikers need to be prepared for the conditions. “Check the forecast and do an honest assessment of what conditions you have been out in before. Realize there are days people shouldn’t go out and maybe should stay in and watch a movie.”
Both hikers are expected to make a full recovery.
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