RESCUE ON MT. MOOSELAUKEE BY OUTING CLUB OFFICIAL

During the Christmas vacation R. E. Miller '24, vice-president of the Outing Club, was one of the principals in a rescue on Mt. Mooselaukee that but for his opportune arrival must have had the most serious consequences. In company with a friend from Boston he had skied over from Armington Pond to Great Bear Cabin with the expectation of crossing the mountain to Agassiz Basin the same day. On reaching the base of Mooselaukee, however, it was seen that the summit was experiencing a violent wind and snowstorm and as the temperature was zero and the day drawing to a close it was felt unwise to attempt the mountain that day.

Arrived at Great Bear Camp, however, it was learned that a couple from Boston had ascended the mountain in the morning and had received information about the trail and the facilities on the top of the mountain which was quite incorrect. Feeling that these people who were unfamiliar with the locality were certainly exposed to danger owing to the faulty information they had received, Miller and his companion felt it their duty to follow them and give assistance if necessary. They accordingly started up the mountain rather late in the afternoon and from the evidences of equipment that had been lost or left behind soon realized that the party was in trouble.

At the carriage road running along the ridge the man's boots were found and it was seen that he must be in his stocking feet and dangerously exposed with the thermometer now ten below zero and a gale blowing, estimated at fifty miles an hour. Proceeding along the carriage road then in almost complete darkness Miller noticed two objects moving across the trail and down the side of the mountain. The lost couple had despaired of finding the Tip Top House and were planning to dig into the snow below the tree line and go to sleep, the man having frozen both his hands and feet. With considerable difficulty, owing to the violent wind and intense cold, Miller and his companion were able to lead the couple to the House and after a long delay, owing to the exhaustion of all in the party, to start a fire. Aside from the frozen feet and hands of the rescued man, and a frozen foot which Miller experienced, there were no serious effects, although there could hardly have been any other result if the rescuing party had been a few moments later on the trail as the frozen surface of the ridge left no tracks.