In the Beginning…

The MRS was hatched as the brainchild of the Appalachian Mountain Club Search and Rescue Committee in 1972. So many incidents in the White Mountains occurred amidst challenging weather and over technical terrain that they believed the area needed an experienced team of rescuers who lived close to the mountain. They incorporated as MRS, put together a Board of Directors made of AMC workers, Fish and Game officers, Forest Service snow rangers, and doctors, and then turned to the group of young climbers working at Eastern Mountain Sports and living in North Conway to make up their rescue team. Climbers spent their days in the Whites and had just the knowledge and abilities needed.

In 1976, the MRS board elected 25-year-old Rick Wilcox as president, and he became the first climber to stand on the board. Rick has remained the only MRS president since. Shortly after 76, more talented climbers settled into the region and worked at EMS and lent their skills and time to the MRS organization. The MRS soon grew to be run in entirety by climbers and mountaineers, and many of the original MRS members are still active members today.

Over the Years…

The Mountain Rescue Service has been voluntarily dedicating their time and skill toward assisting the state of New Hampshire in all manners of search and rescue for over 36 years. Collectively, they have been on over 350 search and rescues. A handful of long-time members have individually been on over 100.

The team has participated in multiple rescues – assisting on area cliffs with climbing accidents, broken legs, and serious falls. They have also participated in all types of searches – for lost hikers and climbers on Mount Washington in the extreme cold and high winds that make up the “World's Worst Weather,” on the Presidentials, the Franconia Ridge, and all across the 800,000 acres that make up the White Mountains. They've also assisted in searches at local ski resorts and incidents occurring off the mountains.

And Now…

With six team leaders, close to 40 climbers on the Primary team and 30 on the Second team, the MRS is rooted in the community as a strong resource for not only SAR, but also for climbing guidance and leadership. The MRS team is still comprised of the areas; if not some of the worlds, best climbing talents. They are still active participants in the education of mountain safety, the prevention of accidents and dangerous situations, and the protection of outdoor enthusiasts in the Whites.

“The MRS isn't recognizable except for on a trailhead, at night, by headlamp.” That statement by one team member rings true. But to anyone climbing and hiking in the Whites, and certainly to anyone who has ever been in trouble on them and needed help, the MRS is always around.

Click here to read about a typical MRS Search and Rescue Scenario