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Adirondack Forest Ranger Search and Rescue Highlights: 6/1-6/7/15

June 8th, 2015 · No Comments · Adirondack News

NYSDEC LogoNew York State Department of Environmental Conservation Forest Rangers respond to search and rescue incidents statewide. Working with other state agencies, local emergency response organizations and volunteer search and rescue groups, Forest Rangers locate and extract lost, injured or distressed people from the backcountry.

“DEC Forest Rangers’ knowledge of first aid, land navigation and technical rescue techniques are often critical to the success of their missions,” said DEC Commissioner Joe Martens. “Search and rescue missions often require Rangers to function in remote wilderness areas from rugged mountainous peaks to white-water rivers, and through vast forest areas from spruce-fir thicket to open hardwoods.”


Recent missions carried out by DEC Forest Rangers in the Adirondacks include:

Essex County
High Peaks Wilderness – Town of North Elba
Injured Hiker: On June 7, 2015 at 2:54 p.m., DEC Ray Brook Dispatch received a call from a 76-year-old woman from Plattsburgh reporting she had sustained a lower leg injury while hiking Mt. Jo. DEC Forest Rangers, an Assistant Forest Ranger, and the Marcy Dam caretaker responded. They carried the hiker out to Mt. Jo trailhead at the Adirondack Loj, where the Lake Placid Rescue Squad transported her to Adirondack Medical Center in Lake Placid. The incident concluded at 4:30 p.m.

Franklin County
Town of Harrietstown – McKenzie Mountain Wilderness
Lost Hiker: On June 3, 2015 at 2:45 p.m., DEC Ray Brook Dispatch received a call from a 22-year-old woman from Saranac Lake reporting she had become lost while hiking on Mt. Baker. DEC dispatch advised her to call 911 so that her GPS coordinates could be obtained. DEC Forest Rangers located the woman along the shoreline of McKenzie Pond in the vicinity of North Bay. A nearby homeowner transported her across McKenzie Pond. No further action was taken. The incident concluded at 5:30 p.m.

Town of Harrietstown – High Peaks Wilderness
Lost Hiker: On June 3, 2015 at 6:30 p.m., DEC Ray Brook Dispatch received a call reporting two lost hikers on Ampersand Mountain. The 68-year-old man from Malone and 66-year-old woman from Winthrop become lost while descending the mountain. They had bushwhacked for approximately four hours before calling for help. DEC Forest Rangers responded, located the pair by a small stream near the base of the mountain and escorted them out without further incident. The incident concluded at 8:30 p.m.

Hamilton County
Town of Indian Lake – West Canada Lakes Wilderness
Distressed Hiker: On June 1, 2015 at 12:58 p.m., DEC Ray Brook Dispatch received a call from New York State Police Central Dispatch reporting a 15-year-old boy from Canastota in medical distress at the top of Snowy Mountain. DEC Forest Rangers responded and located the teen approximately one mile up the trail, hiking out under his own power. He called 911 after becoming separated from his brother. A short time later, he located his brother and they both hiked out without further incident. No further action was taken. The incident concluded at 4:00 p.m.

Herkimer County
Nicks Lake Campground – Town of Webb
Lost Hiker: On June 7, 2015 at 9:51 p.m., DEC Ray Brook Dispatch learned that a lost hiker had called Herkimer County 911 for help. One DEC Forest Ranger responded and located the 48-year-old woman from Monument County at 11:35 p.m. along Nicks Creek. The Forest Ranger escorted her back to her vehicle at the campground beach parking area. The Town of Webb Rescue Squad evaluated the woman and released her at 12:45 a.m.

Washington County
Lake George Wild Forest – Town of Fort Ann
Lost Hiker: On Wednesday, June 3, at 6:48 p.m. DEC Ray Brook Dispatch received a report that a 13-year-old boy had become separated from a group of Washington County students on a class trip in the Shelving Rock Area of the Lake George Wild Forest, in the Town of Fort Ann, Washington County. Two DEC Forest Rangers responded to the area and began searching for the student who was last seen at 6:30 p.m. while the group was returning from Shelving Rock Mountain. However, prior to a search by Forest Rangers, the missing student had reached the road and flagged down a passing vehicle. The driver happened to be a member of the West Fort Ann Fire Department who was already responding to the incident. The driver transported the student to the Hogtown Parking Lot where he was examined by the Ft. Ann EMS and released. No further action was taken.

Be sure to properly prepare and plan before entering the backcountry. Visit DEC’s Hiking Safety and Adirondack Trail Information webpages for more information.

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Adirondack Forest Ranger Search and Rescue Highlights: 5/11-5/17/15

May 18th, 2015 · No Comments · Adirondack News

NYSDEC LogoNew York State Department of Environmental Conservation Forest Rangers respond to search and rescue incidents statewide. Working with other state agencies, local emergency response organizations and volunteer search and rescue groups, Forest Rangers locate and extract lost, injured or distressed people from the backcountry.

“DEC Forest Rangers’ knowledge of first aid, land navigation and technical rescue techniques are often critical to the success of their missions,” said DEC Commissioner Joe Martens. “Search and rescue missions often require Rangers to function in remote wilderness areas from rugged mountainous peaks to white-water rivers, and through vast forest areas from spruce-fir thicket to open hardwoods.”


Recent missions carried out by DEC Forest Rangers in the Adirondacks include:

Franklin County
Horseshoe Lake Wild Forest – Town of Tupper Lake
Injured Hiker: On May 15, 2015 at 2:26 p.m., Franklin County 911 advised DEC Ray Brook Dispatch of an injured hiker on Coney Mountain in Tupper Lake. The 48-year-old woman from Massena had sustained a possible lower leg injury one mile from the trailhead. Franklin County 911 obtained GPS coordinates from her cell phone and relayed the coordinates to the responding DEC Forest Ranger. The Forest Ranger located the woman on the trail at 3:06 p.m. and assisted her on the walk back to the trailhead. They reached the trailhead at 3:48 p.m. where she declined further medical attention.

Warren County
Wilcox Lake Wild Forest – Town of Johnsburgh
Lost Hikers: On May 17, 2015 at 4:10 p.m., DEC Ray Brook Dispatch received a transferred call from Warren County 911 from a member of a six-person hiking party reporting it had become lost while descending Crane Mountain. The hiking party comprised of a 32-year-old man from Queensbury, a 46-year-old woman from Porters Corners, a 32-year-old man from Westerlo, a 30-year-old man from Westerlo, a 35-year-old man from Queensbury and a 34-year-old woman from Fort Edward. They started hiking at 11 a.m. and reached the summit of Crane Mountain at approximately 1 p.m. but had taken the wrong trail down. Warren County 911 provided GPS coordinates showing the lost hikers were in a drainage area near neighboring Huckleberry Mountain. DEC Forest Rangers arrived on scene and took an ATV trail into the area. They located the party about ½ mile from the Sky Hi Road at 5:33 p.m. and found all individuals in good condition. Rangers escorted the party to the road and gave them a ride back to their vehicles at the Crane Mountain trailhead. No further action was required and the incident concluded at 6:20 p.m.

Be sure to properly prepare and plan before entering the backcountry. Visit DEC’s Hiking Safety and Adirondack Trail Information webpages for more information.

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Adirondack Forest Ranger Search and Rescue Highlights: 4/13-4/19/15

April 21st, 2015 · No Comments · Adirondack News

NYSDEC LogoNew York State Department of Environmental Conservation Forest Rangers respond to search and rescue incidents statewide. Working with other state agencies, local emergency response organizations and volunteer search and rescue groups, Forest Rangers locate and extract lost, injured or distressed people from the backcountry.

“DEC Forest Rangers’ knowledge of first aid, land navigation and technical rescue techniques are often critical to the success of their missions,” said DEC Commissioner Joe Martens. “Search and rescue missions often require Rangers to function in remote wilderness areas from rugged mountainous peaks to white-water rivers, and through vast forest areas from spruce-fir thicket to open hardwoods.”

Recent missions carried out by DEC Forest Rangers in the Adirondacks include:

Essex County
Giant Mountain Wilderness – Town of Keene
Overdue Hiker: On April 13, 2015 at 12:20 p.m., New York State Police received a call from the Canadian Provincial Police reporting a 30-year-old man from Quebec, Canada had not returned from a hiking trip to Iroquois Mountain. He was expected to return home on Sunday, April 12. DEC Forest Rangers located the man’s vehicle at the Roaring Brook Falls Trailhead in the Town of Keene at 1:05 p.m. Additional DEC Forest Rangers searched trails surrounding the area. At 2:05 p.m. the man walked out of the woods on his own. No further response was required and the incident was closed.

Taylor Pond Wild Forest – Town of Chesterfield
Lost Hikers: On April 13, 2015 at 7:50 p.m., DEC Ray Brook Dispatch received a call from three women reporting they were lost on Poke-o-Moonshine Mountain. The women, a 20-year-old from Ballston Lake, 20-year-old from Clifton Park, and 21-year-old also from Clifton Park, had come down a trail and followed a gravel road to a dead end. They were not properly dressed, had little water and food, and no flashlights. Essex County 911 obtained GPS coordinates from their cell phone and relayed the coordinates to the responding DEC Forest Ranger. The Ranger located the women at 8:57 p.m. He transported them back to their vehicle and the incident concluded at 9:15 p.m.

Franklin County
St. Regis Mohawk Reservation – Town of Bombay
Missing Child: On April 18, 2015 at 5:45 p.m., Franklin County 911 contacted DEC Forest Rangers requesting assistance in the search for a missing 10-year-old girl from Hogansburg, NY, on the St. Regis Mohawk Reservation. Forest Rangers arrived to find a 20-person crew, including family members, New York State Police, K9 units and members of the local Fire Department, already searching the woods. DEC Forest Rangers established an Incident Command Post and coordinated with the St. Regis Mohawk Tribal Police to search buildings on the south side of Route 37, east and west of where the girl was last seen. Tribal Police located the child in good health in a shed directly adjacent to her last known point.

Saratoga County
Private Land – Town of Corinth
Missing Individual: On April 18, 2015 at 3:00 p.m., DEC Ray Brook Dispatch received a call from Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office requesting DEC Forest Ranger assistance in locating a missing 54-year-old woman from Corinth, NY. The woman’s husband last saw her at 11:30 a.m. and became concerned after he realized she did not bring the necessary treatment for her medical condition. DEC Forest Rangers responded and located the woman at 4:00 p.m. on nearby private property. The woman had followed a creek and found her way to State Route 9N. Corinth EMS transported her for assessment.

Be sure to properly prepare and plan before entering the backcountry. Visit DEC’s Hiking Safety and Adirondack Trail Information webpages for more information.

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