Murder In The Mountains
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- Martin Silverstone
This article is about a women named Lousie Chaput, a 52 year old marriage counselor who was also an avid hiker and skier, who on November 15th 2002 left her home to go hiking in Pinkham Notch, New Hampshire. She was going to spend a long weekend day-hiking around Mt. Washington. It was said that she never checked in to her lodge hotel, which raised little bit of alarm. But it was only when Chaput's waiting room started to pile up, that her boyfriend alerted the New Hampshire athorities. The search for Lousie Chaput started November 22th, which started at her car in the lodge parking lot. Athorities found Chaput's body just a few hundred feet from Glen Boulder trailhead. The three items she brought with her are still missing ( a dark blue backpack, green sleeping bag and the keys to her car) Police did not make any arrests. There has only been nine murders in the 3 490 km trail since 1974. The last murder in the White Mountain was 1977. It was said that it is quite unusal and rare situation but it's important to note that the location has six to seven million visitors each year, and the forst and trails are statisticly a very safe place.

This article made me want to not go to Pinkham Notch. Also made me realise that you never really are safe on trails alone. But if you think about it there has only been nine murders since 1974 which means getting in a car is more dangerous than this mountain. I get mixed feelings. If I ever go hiking I will defenitly go but in the back of my head I'll have the thought of "Oh my gosh, I'm going to die, someones just going to pop out of no where and kill me."

-Justine Maiz