TL;DR
A 36-year-old snowboarder was seriously injured after colliding with a tree in unpatrolled terrain at Cannon Mountain, requiring rope rescue from steep terrain. The incident serves as a reminder of the risks when venturing outside resort boundaries.
Snowboarder Requires Rope Rescue After Tree Collision in Unpatrolled Terrain
A snowboarder was seriously injured after colliding with a tree in an out-of-bounds area at Cannon Mountain on Monday afternoon, requiring a technical rope rescue from steep terrain. The incident occurred around 4:30 p.m. when the rider and his group ventured into unpatrolled areas after a day on the mountain.
Ethan Haust, 36, from Ashland, New Hampshire, caught an edge while navigating steep, rocky terrain outside the resort's maintained boundaries. The impact with the tree left him unable to move, prompting his group to call for emergency assistance.
The Rescue Operation
Cannon Mountain ski patrol provided initial medical aid before calling in New Hampshire Fish and Game conservation officers. The Pemigewasset Valley Search and Rescue Team joined the operation, using rope systems to extract Haust from the steep terrain - a process that illustrates just how difficult these backcountry areas can be to access.
Once at the base area, Haust was transported to hospital by private vehicle. The full extent of his injuries hasn't been disclosed, though the fact he couldn't move himself and required a technical rope rescue suggests significant trauma.
