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High-Altitude Rescue
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That connection was strengthened by the physical demands of summit work, such as de-icing weather equipment in winds that often exceed 120 miles per hour. "There were times I felt like the wind was ripping my parka off, and I was hanging on for dear life, asking myself 'What the hell am I doing up here?'" says Chase. "One night, about 11 p.m., I was doing observations, the temperatures were about negative 20-25, the winds were upwards of 100 mph, and I had to go out and de-ice. As I was banging the ice off the steel parapet, I had this weird sensation in my hands, and I saw blue sparks. I realized I was getting shocked. It was St. Elmo's Fire—the static electricity created by the snow particles and ice blowing across the steel structure in really dry air—and I got to see it firsthand."

Chase's commitment to his work and the lure of Mt. Washington prompted his application and acceptance for an internship at the observatory following his graduation from UNH in the spring of 1997. It was a decision that nearly cost him his life.

On Monday afternoon, Dec. 28, 1997, two weary hikers came to the door of the observatory. The pair, Rama Sibley, 26, of Baltimore, and Robert Ault, 34, of Richmond, Va., was one member short of a trio of hikers that began a planned traverse of the Presidential Range. In the heavy fog, Sibley and Ault got separated from Speicher, a licensed mountain guide.

"This happens all the time," says Chase. "They just said 'we're missing our friend; we have no idea where he is.' I'm getting all the information, their itinerary. Basically, I wanted to know what their plan for the day was. If (Speicher) was smart, he would head for their rendezvous area. They did have a place to meet, and were planning on staying at Lakes of the Clouds. We suggested that they go on, and try to meet there. We gave them a radio to take, so they could stay in touch with us."

The visit by Sibley and Ault also triggered an ongoing discussion with the observatory staff and the state's Fish and Game Department, which oversees many of the search and rescue efforts in the White Mountain National Forest.

"As the night wore on, we were waiting to hear from them," says Chase. "They had not reached the hut, and had gone below treeline because the conditions were too severe."

The scenario was repeated Tuesday, Dec. 30, as Ault and Sibley were again rebuffed by the violent weather and poor visibility. Chase's thoughts turned to Speicher.

"He could still be at the hut, or in some shelter, or below treeline. I knew he didn't have a tent, only a sleeping bag. If he didn't have some shelter, he wouldn't be alive."

However, observatory meteorologist Jack Halpin, a 21-year Navy veteran who has spent stints in Antarctica, is more critical of the actions of Ault and Sibley. Halpin says the pair failed to keep officials adequately apprised of their whereabouts and were too willing to leave the rescue efforts to others.

"They definitely weren't looking out for their friend, I'll tell you that," he says. "They shouldn't have even started the climb, with a northeaster in the forecast. And they were supposed to be experienced climbers."

When three men were seen walking out a trail Tuesday morning, "we presumed it was (Speicher, Sibley and Ault)," said Fish and Game Lieutenant Eric Stohl in published reports. Instead, it was a case of mistaken identity. On Wednesday morning, Sibley and Ault, who spent Monday and Tuesday nights in their tent, walked off the mountain and finally notified Fish and Game officials that Speicher was still missing.

Shortly after noontime Wednesday, Fish and Game officials tried to bring in a National Guard helicopter to search for Speicher "because we were running out of time on this guy," Stohl said. Those plans were abandoned when the weather continued to deteriorate.

"The clouds were coming up and over the hut on that ridge," says Halpin. "So Fish and Game asked me if we could initiate a search."

Ironically, Chase's shift was supposed to conclude Wednesday morning. But as a favor to a colleague, he agreed to stay on through New Year's Eve. Chesson arrived early Wednesday afternoon. Soon, they were both being recruited to conduct an exploratory search at the Lakes of the Clouds Hut. It's a routine request, according to Peter Crane, program director for the observatory and a veteran of numerous search and rescue missions.

"It's strictly on a volunteer basis—we aren't in a position to make someone go out," says Crane, adding that the observatory staff works closely with Fish and Game, the U.S. Forest Service, the New Hampshire Division of Parks and Recreation and volunteer organizations to provide rescue services. "The conditions on Mt. Washington can be so brutal, and Fish and Game realizes they don't have the personnel" to provide adequate coverage on the mountain.

Chase, a capable hiker who served as a trip leader with the UNH Outing Club, was a solid candidate for the task.

"Usually, when we select folks for our internship program, we look for people with outdoor experience, especially in the winter," says Crane.

Chase and Chesson knew about the possibility of rescue missions when they went to work at the observatory, and both were ready and eager to answer that call on Wednesday, Dec. 31. Halpin said Chesson was the more enthusiastic of the two, if only because Chase had worked the night before.

"I didn't want one person going alone," says Halpin. "I knew the temperatures would be dropping and the winds would be picking up. If they went, they'd have to go together. It was basically exploratory. We assumed there wasn't anyone there, but we wanted to check and be sure."

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