Name: Samantha Brady
Age: 31
Location: North Conway, NH
Occupation: President of Androscoggin Valley Search and Rescue
Samantha Brady moves mountains! This fierce outdoorswoman is the President of Androscoggin Valley Search and Rescue, a volunteer-run team that assists in aiding hikers who have become lost or gotten hurt.
Samantha Brady with the search and rescue!
As a child, she became acquainted with the rugged beauty of her state. Back in 1996, a man named Mike Pelchat founded Androscoggin Valley Search and Rescue with a few of his friends. Years later Samantha met Mike while working on Mount Washington.
“As I grew fond of the hiking in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, I completely fell in love with what nature can provide to you,” Samantha explains. “I got involved when I got a job working for the Mount Washington Observatory, a non-profit weather station on the summit of Mount Washington and worked alongside Mike. As an avid hiker, I had read and heard of so many stories of hikers and outdoor enthusiasts getting into trouble in the mountains of New Hampshire and wanted to get involved somehow.”
Samantha got an application to join the team as a volunteer and began her journey searching, rescuing, and recovering hikers in her spare time. After serving five years as a volunteer, she was nominated to join the Board of Directors.
“My first year I served on the BOD as Secretary, and the following year was nominated and voted in to be President of Androscoggin Valley Search and Rescue,” she recalls. “It has been such an honor to volunteer with an organization with such unique and inspiring individuals who are willing to leave their long days of work and then spend hours upon hours in the middle of the night carrying people out of our mountains.”
Samantha’s full-time job is with the Mount Washington Observatory, but when a call comes in that someone needs help, she snatches up her search and rescue gear and heads to the given meeting location.
“A rescue mission could take anywhere from one hour to twelve or more hours depending on the location, conditions, and the type of mission. I have been on calls that have lasted from 4pm to 3am the next morning,” she says.
The goal of the Androscoggin Search and Rescue organization isn’t simply to save lives and find hikers: it’s to educate the general public of the risks and safety concerns that go along with being an outdoor enthusiast. These safety challenges pose risks to both those who are enjoying the New Hampshire terrain as a hobby, and for first responders.
“With social media being as popular as it is, many who have never dared to venture outdoors to do things such as hike a mountain to see a sunset or sunrise, may be influenced or convinced it’s possible,” Samantha explains. “I encourage everyone to get outside and experience nature once you have done your research on said adventures. Because a photo of a beautiful place that can seem easily accessible is not going to give the person the knowledge of information they may need to make their experience the best one possible.”
Samantha hopes to continue to encourage others to (safely) take chances and savor their adventures, may they be on the trail or inside of the cubicle. When she’s not rescuing hikers or at her day job, Samantha mountaineers, skies, ice climbs, trail runs, and rock climbs. She encourages her friends and colleagues to attempt excursions that they might think are impossible, and she espouses encouragement alongside them the whole time.
“The message I would like to share with young girls is that they should believe in themselves when others don’t,” she says. “Tell yourself you're capable of achieving the things you want, and you will get them. When you are thinking about giving up, take a break, and then go back to it. Go back feeling stronger and wiser than the first time. Most importantly, empower others to do the same!”
For these words of advice, and for helping to the public to stay safe out in the wilderness of New Hampshire, we think Samantha Brady is a very Cool Girl!
We made a $200 donation to Androscoggin Valley Search and Rescue to support the awesome work that Samantha and others do to save lives. We encourage you to make a donation too!
