During the recent Climb to the Clouds event in Mount Washington, New Hampshire, Subaru Rally Team USA driver David Higgins suffered a crash that effectively gifted teammate Travis Pastrana a new record. The incident was captured on video by YouTube user “widdget,” who filmed from a vantage point halfway up the nearby rock face.
As Higgins approached a turn too quickly, he struck a rock that shattered his wheel, causing him to spin off the course. The moment startled spectators at Cragway, creating a sense of disbelief. Quick to respond, several media members who were close to the crash site, along with an event volunteer, rushed across the road to assist (I am seen in a blue hooded jacket in the lower left corner of the video thumbnail).
In that instant, I shifted from my role as a journalist to an unintentional first responder. Capturing images was secondary; our priority was to ensure Higgins’ safety. Thankfully, just moments after our arrival, he began exiting the car and assured us that he was fine. We communicated this to the onlookers and other event staff, signaling that he was okay.
While Higgins handled some final checks on his vehicle, his frustration was evident despite his composed demeanor. A door was slammed a bit more forcefully than necessary, illustrating his irritation. I offered to assist him in climbing back up to the road, but he managed the ascent independently. Once he reached a spot visible to the crowd, he began smiling and waving at the cheering spectators. At the request of the volunteer at the scene, I sprinted to retrieve some bottled water from his car for him. While I was gone, smoke began to rise from under the vehicle, prompting one of the other media members to activate the fire suppression system, likely due to the surrounding alpine vegetation heating up underneath the engine.
Following his exchange with the spectators, Higgins returned to our observation point beside the road to witness the remaining runs of the event. A true sportsman, he gave Pastrana an encouraging thumbs-up as his teammate sped past on his way to break Higgins’ record. After the runs concluded, Pastrana even stopped to give Higgins a ride back to their service area, while arrangements were made to recover his car. The photograph Higgins shared on Instagram encapsulates the moment perfectly.
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