Missing Man Who Wandered off Mt. Washington Summit Found Deceased

CONTACT:
Lieutenant Mark Ober
603-788-4850
603-271-3361
July 21, 2025

Sargent’s Purchase, NH – Search crews located the body of William Davis on Friday, July 18 at approximately 11:00 a.m. This was the third day of searching for the man who had wandered away from the summit of Mt. Washington on Wednesday afternoon.

An exhaustive search of the western side of the summit had already been conducted on Wednesday night and all day Thursday with no evidence or clue of his whereabouts. A crew consisting of Fish and Game Conservation Officers and volunteers from Androscoggin Valley Search and Rescue (AVSAR) arrived early in the morning to begin the third day of the search, this time concentrating on the east and south slopes of Mt. Washington.

The weather had deteriorated from the previous 2 days of warm temperatures and light winds to high winds, clouds, rain, and temperatures in the low 40s with 32°F wind chill. The search teams split up and were again tasked with searching off-trail sections. At approximately 11:00 a.m., volunteer searchers located Davis’s body 400 feet off Lion Head Trail between Alpine Garden Trail and Tuckerman Ravine Trail.

An Army National Guard Blackhawk Helicopter, on a training mission, arrived on station to assist in whatever way they could with the search and recovery. The helicopter had to combat heavy winds and cloud cover, but a window of opportunity presented itself just before 1:00 p.m. where they were able to land nearby and remove the body.

Although it is too soon to determine the exact cause of death, it was clear at the scene that Davis suffered a significant fall from a steep, rocky slope. He was transported to the State Medical Examiner’s Office for autopsy to determine cause of death.

There is no indication of how Davis ended up at that location and how far he had traveled over the rocky terrain to get there. He was not a hiker, had no map, and every indication is he wandered off the summit without telling anyone where he was going. It is a tragic end to a tough search mission, and the Fish and Game Department would like to thank all the volunteers and staff who worked tirelessly to bring Davis back to his family.