Two hikers were successfully rescued from Mount Lafayette in New Hampshire on Dec. 13, New Hampshire Fish and Game (NHFG) said in a news release.

The men, Shane Squires, 35, and Robert Conlon, 41, were hiking the nine-mile Greenleaf Trail around 1 p.m. local time on Friday, Dec. 12. The pair lost the trail as they descended the summit, while navigating the frigid conditions, including heavy winds, “waist-high” snow and temperatures around 10ºF.

At 9:45 p.m., NHFG conservation officers were contacted by the hikers, who said that they were unable to continue because one had suffered an injury to their leg. “The two hikers lost their composure and would not listen to any advice being given to them,” NHFG said.

Then at 11:25 p.m., conservation officers and Pemi Valley Search and Rescue Team volunteers set out to rescue the distressed hikers. The Army National Guard was notified and determined that a helicopter rescue was feasible. 

Throughout the evening, one of the two men developed “severe” hypothermia and was in and out of consciousness, NHFG said.

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Around 2:30 a.m., an Army National Guard crew that had assembled in Concord, N.H., arrived at Franconia Notch; however, they could not reach the hikers due to heavy cloud cover at around 3,700 feet.

Fifteen minutes later, the first rescue team arrived on site and warmed up the hikers after providing them with additional clothing. It was also determined that the leg injury was not as severe “as had been reported,” per NHFG.

At 3:00 a.m., the group began their return to the trail, and by 5:30 a.m., the rescue party arrived at the trailhead and the men were able to “hike out with assistance,” the men said.

Squires and Conlon then drove themselves to a hospital and were treated for frostbite. 

“The two were ill-equipped for a hike of this magnitude,” NHFG said. “They lacked appropriate clothing for a hike in the weather conditions they encountered and were navigating with a phone when they lost the trail.”

NHFG concluded the news release by emphasizing the importance of safe hiking in the White Mountains.

“If hikers cannot adhere to the hiker responsibility code as set forth by the HikeSafe program then they should consider staying home,” the agency said. “Rescues of this magnitude and conditions put rescue personnel at great risk.”