A 79-year-old Florida man, William Davis, was found dead after vanishing from the summit of Mount Washington in New Hampshire, ending a three-day search with his body recovered off-trail by rescuers. The state Fish and Game Department confirmed the discovery in a social media post, highlighting the difficult conditions faced during the search.
Officials stated that search crews located Davis’s body after a challenging operation involving helicopters, drones, and ground personnel. The Fish and Game Department commended the volunteers and staff for their tireless efforts in bringing Davis back to his family.
Davis, from Jacksonville, Florida, reached the summit via the Mount Washington Cog Railway on Wednesday. He was last seen near the visitor center around 3:20 p.m., after taking a photo with his wife. Shortly afterward, he separated from her and walked alone toward the trail area.
Davis made brief contact with a park employee by cellphone, reporting he was off-trail and describing his surroundings. His phone died during the call, prompting search teams to begin looking for him that evening. Initial search efforts focused on the western side of the summit, but fog and wind slowed progress.
Search teams shifted their focus to the eastern and southern slopes of the mountain on Friday, where weather conditions had worsened with rain, clouds, and high winds. Temperatures hovered in the low 40s, and wind chill readings dropped to near freezing. Mount Washington is known for sudden weather changes and treacherous terrain, even in summer.
Volunteers from Androscoggin Valley Search and Rescue found Davis’s body about 400 feet off the Lion Head Trail, near the Alpine Garden and Tuckerman Ravine Trails. Rescue officials stated he appeared to have suffered a serious fall. A Black Hawk helicopter crew from the New Hampshire National Guard assisted during a brief weather break.
An autopsy is pending, and authorities have not yet determined how Davis ended up in the remote area where his body was found. The Fish and Game Department has not responded to further inquiries.