What began as an enchanting moonlit hike along the snow-encrusted trails of Mount Monadnock ended in tragedy when a 59-year-old North Berwick, Maine, man died in the early morning hours of Jan. 3. 

The N.H. Fish and Game Department announced the death of Thomas Plummer after notifying the victim’s relatives. Plummer, who was chairman of the North Berwick Planning Board, was hiking on the Pumpelly Trail with four companions around 2 a.m. when he moved ahead and got separated from the group.

The other hikers found Plummer lying unconscious on the icy trail above the tree line, less than a mile from the summit. They called 911 and performed CPR but were unable to revive him.

Fish and Game conservation officers, state park staff and search and rescue volunteers helped carry the body more than two miles down the mountain. The exact cause of death was not immediately determined, the Fish and Game Department reported.

Hiking safety tips are posted online at www.hikesafe.com.