Success, NH - Tuesday afternoon at approximately 4:00 p.m. Fish and Game Conservation Officers were notified about a hiker suffering from an undisclosed illness near the summit of Mt. Success on the Mahoosuc Trail in the township of Success. The call came through Gorham Dispatch and was placed from an Appalachian Trail thru hiker who had come upon the stricken man.

The hiker identified as Eryc Christofes, 55, of Grantville, PA had been section hiking this portion of the Appalachian Trail (AT) when he became ill. The thru hiker who reported the incident and three of his companions stayed with Christofes, giving him liquids and support until rescuers could arrive.

A rescue effort was initiated with members of Androscoggin Valley Search and Rescue (AVSAR) and Fish and Game Conservation Officers hiking in via the Success Trail off of Success Pond Road as the closest access point to Mt. Success.

Prior to the arrival of the rescuers, the AT thru hikers called back and said that Christofes had recovered enough to attempt to close the distance from their location south of the summit of Mt. Success to the junction of the Mahoosuc Trail and Success Trail, a 1.3 mile section of trail.

At approximately 5:56 p.m. the thru hikers called in reporting that Christofes had reached the trail junction and would be starting down. At 6:17 the first rescuer reported he had contacted Christofes, approximately 1.5 miles from the trail head. He was given a medical assessment on the trail and after re-hydrating and rest was able to hike out under his own power.

The rescue team and patient made it down to the trail head at approximately 8:00 p.m. Christofes was transported to Androscoggin Valley Hospital (AVH) in Berlin for further medical treatment and evaluation.


Posted 6/13/17