28-year-old hiker found dead in Franconia, NH identified
FRANCONIA, N.H. -- A 28-year-old man hiking in Franconia, New Hampshire was found dead by rescue teams early Christmas morning. He was identified Monday as Guopeng "Tony" Li of Salem, New Hampshire.
New Hampshire Fish and Game Conservation officers were notified about an overdue hiker around 9 p.m. on Saturday.
Li started to hike the 8.6 Bridle Path/Falling Waters Loop around 11 a.m. on Saturday. According to a family member in China who was tracking his progress, his phone went dead around 6:15 p.m., when he appeared to be off trail south of Mount Lincoln.
The family member also said that Li was an inexperienced hiker and it was unclear what he had for equipment.
A team of conservation officers set out to find the hiker and reached Franconia Ridge around 2 a.m. "Shortly after the team located what they believed to be the tracks of the hiker. The tracks continued off trail and ended up in a drainage that flows from between Little Haystack Mountain and Mount Lincoln," the Fish and Game department said.
Around 6:45 a.m., crews found the Li's body about a half a mile from the Falling Waters Trail in Franconia. They made it back to the trailhead around 2:30 p.m. Sunday.
New Hampshire hikers are reminded to be prepared for winter conditions and plan accordingly. The Fish and Game department also recommends purchasing a Hike Safe Card.
