DEC REGION 5 FOREST RANGERS REPORT

September 3, 2009

Essex County, Town of North Elba
On Friday, August 21, 2009, at approximately 6:28 PM, DEC Dispatch received a call from the Canoe Club in Lake Placid, reporting a group of three overdue canoeists on Lake Placid. John Alexander, 52, a 17 year old male and a 14 year old male, all from Londontown, England, had left for a day paddle in a 3 person canoe and were due back at 6:00 PM. A DEC Forest Ranger and a DEC Environmental Conservation Officer responded and began searching for the missing group in separate by boats. The canoe and its three occupants were located by the Environmental Conservation Officer approximately 1 mile north of the DEC boat launch, on the east side of the lake, at approximately 7:48 PM. The group had gone too far down the lake to get back before dark. All three individuals were in good shape and were transported back to the Canoe Club.

Warren County, Town of Chester
On Sunday, August 23, 2009, at approximately 2:05 AM, DEC Dispatch received a call from Essex County 911 reporting a serious boat accident that occurred on Taylor Point, Schroon Lake, involving 4 people. The operator of the boat, Timothy Hoffman, 39, of Albany, NY had failed to see Taylor Point and ran aground coming to rest 20 feet on shore. A DEC Forest Ranger responded and assisted the Schroon Lake Fire Department and Ambulance and North Warren Ambulance with the extrication and transport of the subjects. New York State Police, with assistance from a forest ranger, cited Mr. Hoffman with a variety of Navigation Law charges, including boating while intoxicated.

Hamilton County, Town of Lake Pleasant
On Saturday, August 22, 2009, at approximately 10:49 PM, a DEC Forest Ranger was contacted by the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Department requesting assistance with locating an overdue fisherman on Lake Pleasant. Jeffery Fikes, 28, of Schenectady, NY had left his camp around 7:45 PM to go fishing in a small johnboat. DEC Forest Rangers and the Hamilton County Sheriffs both utilized their boats to search the shoreline of the lake. At approximately 1:00 AM it was reported that the subject had returned on his own. After dark, Mr. Fikes tried to paddle back to the camp but once it got dark he beached the boat and walked back to his camp.

Hamilton County, Town of Long Lake
On Saturday, August 22, 2009, at approximately 10:02 PM, DEC Dispatch received a call from the Lake Eaton Campground reporting a hiker that was missing. Janet Freeman, 66 of Long Lake, NY, had became lost on the Owl Mountain trail while trying to locate her dogs that she had ran off earlier in the day. DEC Forest Rangers responded and spent the night searching the extensive trail system around the Owl Mountain area, but were unable to locate Mrs. Freeman. The following morning, six additional rangers assisted in searching the trails. At approximately 8:00 AM, a forest ranger located Mrs. Freeman along a snowmobile trail. She was wet but in good condition. She stated that after she found her dogs she tried to take a shortcut back to Lake Eaton, but lost the trail after dark. Since heavy rains during the night made travel difficult, she stayed put until day light. Then she located the snowmobile trail where she was eventually found.