by The body of Christopher Roma, an experienced hiker, was recovered Thursday after he succumbed to the elements on a day hike in New Hampshire, authorities said.
A resident of Thornton, NH, on Tuesday he took to one of his favorite trails just a few miles off the highway in Lincoln.
Roma, who was 38, according to his voter registration records, knew the state’s White Mountains well and had climbed each of the 48 4,000-foot peaks, a feat known as NH 48.
But around 10 p.m., Roma knew he was in trouble.
In some parts of the trail, snow was waist-deep, temperatures were in the single digits and the wind was picking up, according to a statement from the New Hampshire Department of Fish and Game.
Mr Roma’s friends alerted emergency services after learning he had become stuck on a trail near Mount Bond, a peak about 60 miles north of Concord, and was in danger. Roma himself called for help shortly after and informed rescuers that he was “very cold,” according to the statement.
Rescuers from several agencies began the search for Mr. Roma at 2 a.m. Wednesday, but snow and wind slowed efforts and a call was made to the New Hampshire Army National Guard to request a helicopter. Guard members then made three attempts to reach the area, but were hampered by poor visibility and low clouds.
When a ground rescue team reached Mr. Roma at 5 p.m., he was already dead.
“While his family and friends are devastated by this loss, we take comfort in knowing that he died doing what he loved,” read a statement at an online fundraiser organized by Mr. Roma’s friends.
Mr. Roma’s trail name (a nickname hikers use to refer to each other on long hikes) was Rafiki. He had completed the arduous “triple crown of hiking,” which includes the Appalachian Trail, the Pacific Crest Trail and the Continental Divide Trail, the country’s three major long-distance trails.
He had also created a company, North East Trekking Company, that helped others prepare for their own thousand-mile endeavors, according to the company website.
According to interviews that his family gave to The Associated PressMr. Roma had a 2-year-old son, Solomon.
Mr. Roma’s mother, Barbara Roma, said he had probably been trying to beat his personal best time on a trail he was very familiar with but got caught in “strange weather.”
“Once you get to a certain point, you have to make the decision to continue or turn back,” he said. “And he was never really the type of kid to back down.”
