On the Ground: a Heat Wave. On the Mountain: Hypothermia

While a heat wave scorched the East Coast, a hiker on New England's highest peak was fighting for her life in freezing, wind-whipped conditions. Caroline Wilson, 55, of Austin, Texas, had to be rescued after developing hypothermia on Mount Washington in New Hampshire's White Mountains on Friday, per Fox News. Her husband called 911 around 5pm after Wilson became unable to move or communicate on the Gulfside Trail about a mile north of the Cog Railway tracks.

Rescuers arrived to find Wilson unresponsive and suffering severe hypothermia. Conservation Officer Rachael Stocker noted Wilson was wearing cotton base layers, not ideal for hiking in the mountains, especially with intermittent rain and rapidly changing weather, as they absorb sweat. The conditions on Mount Washington's summit hovered around 20 degrees Fahrenheit, with winds hitting 120mph and visibility poor due to dense clouds.

The Cog Railway played a vital role by ferrying rescuers up the mountain, saving them a strenuous, three-mile climb, though they still had to hike a mile on an exposed ridgeline above 5,000 feet to reach Wilson, per Outside. The first team reached her at 7pm, with a second arriving about an hour later. Rescuers stabilized Wilson in a temporary shelter before transporting her to the train and then to an ambulance at the base station. She was taken to a hospital for further treatment.