On February 1, two friends hiked the Mount Washington trail in northeastern New Hampshire. Kathyrn McKee and Beata LeLacheur had visited the trail before, but this time, they were an hour behind schedule. Daylight began to fade. They weren’t worried. They had warm clothing, headlamps, and plenty of gear.

Then the wind kicked in. The temperature dropped. The trail disappeared under waist-deep snow. Soon, the hikers realized they were lost on the tallest mountain in the Northeast.

After about an hour of trying to rescue themselves, Ms. McKee and Ms. LeLacheur called 911. The New Hampshire Fish and Game conservation officers plotted their GPS coordinates. They said the trail was just 34 feet away. But the women couldn’t find it because of the snow. 

The temperature at the summit was two degrees below zero. The hikers sat with the wind blowing on them for six hours. Ms. McKee says they grabbed a bag and used it as a wind guard. They wrapped themselves in sleeping bags and mats.

That night, rescue teams trekked through deep snow to look for the women. They found Ms. McKee and Ms. LeLacheur a few hours after midnight. The women had suffered some frostbite, mostly to their hands. 

 By 4:15 a.m., the rescuers and hikers made their way down the mountain. 

 “We’re eternally grateful” to the rescuers, Ms. McKee says.

The scary experience won’t stop this pair from hiking. Next time, the women will bring a small pop-up tent, in case they need shelter. 

“You either get back on the horse, or you don’t,” says Ms. McKee. “I’m going to do it as [safely] as I can. But I recognize there are risks in what we do.”

The Bible tells us that being in sin and not knowing God is like being lost. We can’t save ourselves. But God rescues us! Jesus gives us salvation from sin.

What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? — Luke 15:4