Fatal Adventure: DEADLY Disconnect!

A 79-year-old Florida tourist’s simple walk from a scenic observation deck on Mount Washington turned into a deadly three-day nightmare that ended with his body discovered 400 feet off a remote trail after what appears to have been a fatal fall.

At a Glance

• William Davis, 79, from Jacksonville, Florida, vanished after separating from his wife at Mount Washington’s summit observation deck.
• Davis made one desperate phone call to park staff, saying he was off-trail but couldn’t describe his location before his phone died.
• A three-day search operation involving drones, ground teams, and a Black Hawk helicopter battled freezing temperatures and dangerous winds.
• His body was found 400 feet off the Lion Head Trail between the Alpine Garden and Tuckerman Ravine Trails, the apparent victim of a serious fall.
• The incident highlights the deadly disconnect between Mount Washington’s tourist-friendly summit access and its treacherous surrounding terrain.

The Dangerous Illusion of an Accessible Summit

William Davis and his wife took what should have been a pleasant tourist trip up the 6,288-foot Mount Washington via the historic Cog Railway on Wednesday, July 16. At 3:20 p.m., after taking a photo together on the observation deck, Davis told his wife he wanted to walk toward the trail area alone. What happened next exposes the perilous reality that lies just steps beyond the summit’s visitor-friendly facade. Shortly after disappearing, Davis managed to make a single, brief phone call to a state park employee, reporting he was lost off-trail. His phone died during the call, cutting off his only lifeline to rescuers and underscoring how quickly the mountain’s deceptive accessibility can turn deadly.

TRAGIC UPDATE | Officials said they don’t know how William Davis ended up at that location and how far he had traveled over rocky terrain to get there. https://t.co/W8X1ah6KE1

— News4JAX (@wjxt4) July 18, 2025

A Frantic Race Against the Mountain’s Fury

By 6:00 p.m. Wednesday, New Hampshire Fish and Game officers had launched a full-scale search, but the mountain immediately demonstrated its deadly reputation. Rescue teams battled fog, high winds, and temperatures that plunged into the low 40s with a wind chill near freezing. The deteriorating weather, which would challenge even experienced mountaineers, forced the suspension of the search on Thursday night. The irony is stark: while tourists comfortably ride a train to the summit, professional search teams struggled against the same mountain’s brutal environment just yards from the visitor center.

A Grim Discovery Ends a Three-Day Ordeal

At 11:00 a.m. on Friday, July 18, volunteers from Androscoggin Valley Search and Rescue found Davis’s body approximately 400 feet off the Lion Head Trail, in the rugged, exposed terrain between the Alpine Garden and Tuckerman Ravine Trails. Authorities believe he suffered a “significant fall” from a steep, rocky slope. During a brief break in the weather, a New Hampshire Army National Guard Black Hawk helicopter that was on a training mission nearby was able to assist with the recovery, highlighting the extensive resources required for such operations. The tragic outcome demonstrates how quickly Mount Washington’s terrain can disorient and trap anyone who, unprepared, strays from designated areas.