A story of lost hikers had a positive conclusion last night on Blue Job Mountain in New Hampshire. Four lost hikers were found within a few hours after a call was placed to the local police and the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department (NHFG).

The three men that originally set out (and their friend who also became lost after he came to find them) could have prevented their misfortune. Their first mistake was to set out after dark; their second was to not bring any supplies.

NHFG Information Officer Liza Poinier said the mountain that the men chose to hike is a very popular mountain with clear trails. “The trails are clearly marked; it’s a short distance to the top,” Poinier said. As far as she knows, she cannot recall any hikers getting lost yet on Blue Job Mountain.

Original press release issued by New Hampshire Fish and Game on February 24th, 2012:

New Hampshire Fish and Game Conservation Officers and staff from the Strafford and Farmington Police and Fire Departments last night participated in a search for four hikers on Blue Job Mountain. The group was found and escorted back to the parking lot a little after midnight this morning, Friday, February 24.

Three men in their early 20s had set out at about 5:30 p.m. from the Blue Job parking lot. The mountain has multiple popular hiking trails, and it’s a little more than a mile to hike to the top, where there’s a fire tower. The men, from Rochester and Wakefield, were hiking without lights, backpacks, or any safety gear, and were wearing only sneakers. According to Conservation Officer Ron Arsenault, they got “turned around” at some point, and used a cell phone to call an older friend for help – the same man who had dropped them off at the trailhead.

The friend hiked up and managed to find the trio, at which point all four became lost and called 911.

The hiking party was advised to stay in one place. They managed to start a fire, which helped Strafford Police locate them on a logging road in Farmington, on the far side of the mountain.

For information on safe hiking, visit www.hikesafe.com.