Injured Climber Flown Off Mt. Washington

CONTACT:
Conservation Officer Sgt. Matthew Holmes
603-788-4850
603-271-3361
July 3, 2025

Sargent’s Purchase, NH – On the afternoon of Wednesday, July 2, 2025, rescuers from around the state collaborated to help a rock climber who had fallen and badly injured himself in Huntington Ravine on Mt. Washington.

Shortly after 1:00 p.m., New Hampshire Fish and Game received a report of hikers who witnessed a man free fall approximately 60 feet in the area of Pinnacle Buttress. As authorities worked to gather more information, a 911 call came in from rock climbers who had made their way over to the fallen man after being alerted by the hikers. These climbers provided first aid, first-hand information, and a reliable location for where the man was located. During this time, it was confirmed that the fallen man was suffering from multiple injuries, some of which could be potentially life threatening.

Due to the extent of the injuries and the extremely difficult terrain, NH Fish and Game coordinated a rescue response with multiple agencies. Staff from the Mt. Washington State Park responded to the area to access current weather conditions, a team of elite rock climbers from Mountain Rescue Service (MRS) were mobilized to come in from the ground, and a Blackhawk helicopter and crew from the NH Army National Guard responded to provide air support.

Fortunately, weather conditions on Mt. Washington were favorable and the crew from the Army National Guard were able to hoist the fallen climber from Huntington Ravine shortly after 3:00 p.m. The man was immediately flown to Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, NH, for further evaluation and treatment of his injuries. His current condition is not known, but he arrived alive.

Following the helicopter extraction of the fallen climber, a team of MRS volunteers climbed down into Pinnacle Buttress and assisted the good Samaritan climbers who had helped the victim. The

Blended group of volunteers was then able to climb back up to the Alpine Garden area of Mt. Washington and meet a Conservation Officer to get a ride back down the mountain. All parties involved were safely back down the mountain by 6:30 p.m.

The fallen climber was eventually identified as Lukas Lamb Wotton, 31, of New Orleans, LA. Wotton had climbed in the area before and was familiar with the climbing route that he was on at the time of the accident.

This incident highlights the special relationships that exist in the outdoors of New Hampshire. Had hikers not seen this incident happen and shouted to nearby climbers, it could have been hours, if not days, before the victim was located. Once the call came in, rescuers from both the volunteer and professional teams worked cohesively to do their jobs, thus getting the severely injured young man to definitive care in just over two hours.

Conservation Officers would also like to extend a special thanks to the Mount Washington Auto Road and their staff who have been so supportive of search and rescue activities.