Christopher Roma: Veteran hiker dies on New Hampshire mountain as bad weather foils all rescue efforts

GRAFTON COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE: Christopher Roma, an avid 37-year-old hiker from Thornton, New Hampshire, was found dead on Mount Guyot in the White Mountains on Wednesday, January 17, after getting stranded there in harsh winter conditions a day prior.

Authorities had launched extensive rescue efforts to reach Roma, but were impeded by poor weather and difficult terrain, as reported by PEOPLE.

Treacherous conditions thwarted multiple attempts to rescue Christopher Roma

Roma, who relatives said was an experienced hiker, made a distress call on Tuesday evening, January 16, from near Mount Bond while speaking to family members. He told them he was very cold.

Roma himself then called 911 to provide coordinates showing he was between Mount Bond and Mount Guyot. Before losing phone signal, Roma again emphasized to dispatchers that frigid temperatures were threatening his safety.

Rescue teams mobilized quickly, arriving in the area early Wednesday morning. However, they confronted waist-deep snow and high winds that slowed their uphill progress.

With the challenging conditions, officials called in a New Hampshire Army National Guard helicopter to try extracting Roma by air. But low visibility foiled three separate flight attempts to reach the stranded hiker on Mount Guyot.

It was not until late afternoon Wednesday that a Mountain Rescue Service crew finally accessed Roma's location, only to find he had already died. Dangerous winter weather was looming over the area at the time, with single-digit temperatures and accumulating snow.

Loved ones say Christopher Roma was dedicated to supporting and uplifting people

A native of the region, Roma was known to be an enthusiastic skier, snowboarder and hiker starting in his youth. As an adult, his passion for the outdoors drove him to complete the 'Triple Crown' of US long-distance trails - hiking the entire Pacific Crest, Continental Divide and Appalachian routes.

Roma also founded Northeast Trekking Company, a hiking guide service, sharing his love of nature with clients on journeys through the hinterlands.

Friends and family say Roma was dedicated to supporting and uplifting people in his life. "He always cared about people and wanted what’s best for them," said Roma's sister Megan.

Tragically, he leaves behind a 2-year-old son as loved ones mourn his death. A GoFundMe campaign has seen an immense outpouring of sympathy, raising over $41,000 so far. "While his family and friends are devasted by this loss, we find comfort knowing that he died doing what he loved," the page states.