Maine Rescue Teams Brave Cold To Save Hypothermic Hikers

A hiker who was not prepared for wintry conditions on Bigelow Mountain had to be rescued.

Maine Wardens Aid a Pennsylvania Hiker with Severe Hypothermia on Bigelow Mtn

The Maine Warden Service got a call from David Piccioni, 35, of Cumbola, Pennsylvania, at approximately 9:30 pm on Monday, who told them his hiking partner, Anna Troxell, 24, of Drums, Pennsylvania, was severely hypothermic and needed help.

Piccioni said her speech was slurred, her lips were blue, and she was losing muscle coordination, making her unstable while walking.

READ MORE: 25 Mountains in Maine You Need to Climb At Least Once

The pair had been hiking on the Appalachian Trail, between the West Peak and Avery Peak on Bigelow Mountain, and were unprepared for the 3 to 5 inches of snow from a recent storm, and temperatures in the mid-teens.

Maine Rescuers on Bigelow Encountered Challenging Conditions

The rescue was a coordinated effort between several agencies, including Maine Wardens, the Eustic Fire Department, local EMS, and search-and-rescue volunteers.

A team began the rescue by ascending the 4.5 mile Fire Warden Trail, over steep terrain, at the Stratton Brook Pond Road. That ascent began at around 10:45 pm.

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They reached the hikers just before 2 am on Tuesday, April 21st, and immediately began warming them up, by wrapping them in heavy sleeping bags, providing warm drinks, and starting a fire.

Maine Air National Guard Helicopter Lifted Hypothermic Hikers to Safety

As Troxell's condition continued to deteriorate, the rescuers called off the two teams who were enroute and contacted the Maine Air National Guard.

At approximately 6:45 am, an Ar National Guard Black Hawk helicopter hoisted both the hikers from the mountain and they were transported to the Carrabassett Valley Regional Airport, where the patient received treatment for severe hypothermia.

They pair refused transport to a hospital and were released.