Backcountry team brings another injured hiker to safety & issues fall hiking safety tips
October 6, 2026 | By Lisa Scagliotti
Waterbury Backcountry Rescue Team members carry an injured Mt. Hunger hiker to safety on Sunday, Oct. 4. Courtesy photo
Local members of the Waterbury Backcountry Rescue Team on Sunday made their second trip to Mt. Hunger in a week to get an injured hiker to safety.
They also issued safety tips as refreshers for both novice and regular adventurers to heed before heading out to the trails during the popular fall hiking season.
“As foliage season progresses, mountain conditions shift rapidly. What begins as an enjoyable afternoon walk can quickly turn hazardous if hikers are unprepared,” writes Lt. Adam Mattessich with the rescue team.
His overview reminds the public to consider how weather conditions are different at higher elevations than at the trailhead; how fallen leaves create hazards, and how darkness comes quickly this time of year. The advice highlights the importance of carrying proper clothing and gear such as extra clothing layers, light sources, and not waiting to call for help when it’s needed.
“If you lose the trail, become injured, or realize you will not make it out before dark without adequate gear, call 911 immediately. Do not wait until your phone battery is nearly dead or pitch darkness has set in,” Mattessich cautions.
Injured on Mt. Hunger
Both of the recent calls on Mt. Hunger involved hikers with ankle injuries. The previous call was last Monday, Sept. 28.
Sunday’s call came just before 1:30 p.m. The Waterbury team and Worcester Rescue responded to a report of a 47-year-old female hiker near the summit of Hunger Mountain with an ankle injury, according to a rescue team report.
In less than an hour, the rescue team had set up a base in Middlesex at the bottom of the Hayward Trail. The first crew of 15 Waterbury and Worcester volunteers headed up the mountain with rescue gear, the report detailed.
As they made their way to the injured woman, rescuers reported that descending hikers confirmed the injured person was “near the top,” but trying to walk with help.
At 3:30 p.m., the first rescue team found the patient, and Waterbury EMTs administered first aid. With the sun setting and temperatures dropping, rescuers assisted the hiker to slowly walk down the trail under her own power. The descent took about an hour, with the final stretch covered with team members carrying the hiker in a Stokes litter, the report notes.
The volunteer responders also noted plenty of additional foot traffic on the mountain.
“Despite the late hour, and throughout the rescue, unprepared hikers were encountered as they began their hikes in the late afternoon,” team member Brian Lindner writes in the rescue recap. “WBRT cautions hikers to always prepare for emergencies.”
Founded in 2022, Waterbury Backcountry Rescue Team is part of Waterbury Ambulance Service. Sunday’s call was the team’s 304th rescue and the ninth call this year.
Read Mattessich’s full post with safety tips in the Roundabout’s Opinion section.