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Entries from October 20th, 2014

Adirondack Forest Ranger Search and Rescue Highlights: 10/14-10/19/14

October 20th, 2014 · 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 Elizabethtown
Lost Hikers: On October 19 at 3:15 p.m., Essex County 911 transferred a call to DEC Dispatch in Ray Brook. The hikers, a 22-year old female from Mechanicville, NY, and a 26-year old female from Wantagh, NY, had been hiking down from the Blueberry Mountain summit when they lost the trail and became disoriented. Both women stated they could see a house and hear the roadway but could not proceed down because they were at a cliff. 911 coordinates were relayed to two DEC Forest Rangers. The Rangers located the women in good condition at 5:15 p.m. at which time they proceeded to their vehicle.

High Peaks Mountain Wilderness, Town of Keene
Injured Hiker: On October 19th, 2014 at 5:50 p.m., DEC Dispatch in Ray Brook received a radio transmission from John’s Brook Loj advising that a 38-year-old male from Nutley, NY had suffered a lower leg injury as the result of a fall while hiking Big Slide. He was able to walk with some assistance from two individuals. A hiker with the group went ahead to report the incident to John’s Brook Loj. The other hikers advised they would be walking the man to John’s Brook Outpost for staging. Three DEC Forest Rangers were dispatched. The injured man and his hiking party were located at the Phelps Trail Junction at 9:28 p.m. The individuals that had assisted the man were escorted out to the Garden parking lot by DEC Forest Rangers and the injured hiker was brought to a waiting utility terrain vehicle. From there he was taken down the Southside Trail. A waiting ambulance transported him to Adirondack Medical Center in Saranac Lake, NY for treatment at 11:40 p.m.

Hamilton County

Private Lane, Town of Speculator
Lost Hunters: On October 19 at 6:15 p.m., the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office contacted DEC Dispatch in Ray Brook regarding two lost males in the town of Speculator. The men, a 59-year-old and a 36-year-old both from Gloversville, NY had become lost while muzzleloading on private property in Speculator. A DEC Environmental Conservation Officer responded to assist and attempted to attract the subjects to his siren. A DEC Forest Ranger and a Hamilton County Sheriff’s deputy located both men at 8:30 p.m. and escorted them back to their vehicle.

Warren County

Prospect Mountain, Village of Lake George
Lost Hikers: On October 17th, 2014 at 2:28 p.m., DEC Dispatch in Ray Brook received a call from a 60-year-old male from Manhasset, NY advising that he and his companion, a 46-year-old female from Locust Valley, NY were lost near the parking area of Prospect Mountain. They reported they could not find their way back to the picnic area. The couple had no hiking experience and had no hiking gear. Two DEC Rangers responded. The hikers gave DEC Dispatch in Ray Brook their coordinates off their cell phones to help identify their location. Based on these coordinates, Rangers took older trails and through voice contact located the couple. They advised the Rangers they had taken a herd path which they believed was a trail and got turned around. They were escorted out of the woods and back to their vehicle by 4:59 p.m.

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

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Adirondack Forest Ranger Search and Rescue Highlights: 10/7-10/13/14

October 14th, 2014 · 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:

Warren County
Lake George Wild Forest, Town of Lake George
Lost Hikers: On October 11, 2014 at 6:20 p.m., DEC Dispatch in Ray Brook received a report from Warren County 911 of three lost hikers on Tongue Mountain. The hikers, a 32-year-old female, a 33-year-old female and a 31-year-old female are all from Woodside, NY. The three women advised they were near a sign stating they were 4 miles to Clay Meadows. Two DEC Forest Rangers responded by boat from Green Island on Lake George. Based on GPS phone coordinates, the Rangers located the women near a private camp on Montcalm Point at 7:23 p.m. They were transported back to their hotel by boat and dropped off 7:57 p.m. The owners of the hotel advised they would bring the women back to their vehicle.

Essex County
Dix Mountain Wilderness, Town of Minerva
Overdue Hikers: On October 11, 2014 at 10:30 p.m., DEC Dispatch in Ray Brook received a report of two men overdue from a hike near their campsite on the Boreas River in Minerva.

The two men, a 37-year-old male from Mechanicville, NY, and a 64-year-old man from Cohoes, NY left the campsite at 12:00 p.m. with the intention of hiking to a nearby pond. Three DEC Forest Rangers responded to the camping area and interviewed the reporting group. Initial witness statements led the Forest Rangers in the wrong direction. After checking three ponds and a local cave overnight without locating the two men, six more Rangers responded at first light.

Both men were located in good health on the opposite side of the Boreas River by a Forest Ranger at 7:45 a.m. on October 12. The Ranger walked the men out to their campsite. They had attempted to bushwhack to a pond but ended up on the opposite side of the river where they built a fire and spent the night.

Hurricane Mountain Wilderness, Town of Keene
Injured Hiker: On October 12, 2014 at 2:46 p.m., a 52-year-old female from Ithaca, NY sustained a lower leg injury while hiking Hurricane Mountain. The woman was unable to bear any weight, hindering her ability to hike out. Two Forest Rangers responded and New York State Police Aviation was requested to hoist her out. She was airlifted and taken to Adirondack Medical Center in Saranac Lake for further treatment.

Giant Mountain Wilderness, Town of Keene
Injured Hiker: On October 12, 2014 at 5:03 p.m., DEC Dispatch in Ray Brook received a call from a passing hiker reporting that a male hiker has sustained an injury while descending from Giant Mountain on the Giant/Ridge Trail. The 65-year-old male from Summit, NJ, fell and sustained his injuries as he was descending Giant Mountain. Two passing hikers stopped and assisted him on walking out to the trailhead. When the DEC Forest Ranger arrived on scene, the male was assessed and stabilized. Rangers assisted him to the trailhead where he met his wife and was taken to Adirondack Medical Center Lake Placid for further treatment.

Western High Peaks Wilderness, Town of Newcomb
Lost Hiker: On October 13, 2014 at 1:34 p.m., DEC Dispatch in Ray Brook was contacted to report that a fellow hiking partner, 45-year-old male from Coram, NY, had not reached the designated meeting point known as Plumley’s. He was last seen at Cold River at approximately 10:15 a.m. DEC Dispatch in Ray Brook established contact via text message with the lost hiker ascertaining his location and relaying the information to the DEC Forest Rangers in the field. A Forest Ranger identified the location and advised other responding Forest Rangers he was half-way up Pine Brook Trail, where it parallels the Cold River. Rangers found the hiker in good condition. A Forest Ranger hiked him back to the Northern Boundary, Huntington, where another Forest Ranger was located. He was transported back to his family in Long Lake without further incident.

REGION 6

St. Lawrence County
Cranberry Lake Wild Forest, Town of Clifton
Lost Hiker: On October 12, 2014, at 7:02 p.m., a DEC Forest Ranger was contacted directly by Cranberry Lake Campground of a 47-year-old female from Kingston, ON, CA who was lost on a trail near the campground area. A Forest Ranger responded by boat and patrolled the shoreline near the campground until he located the woman. She was brought back to her vehicle without any further incident.

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

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Adirondack Forest Ranger Search and Rescue Highlights: 9/29-10/3/14

October 7th, 2014 · 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
Wilmington Notch, Town of Wilmington
Lost Hikers: On September 29, 2014 at 7:35 p.m., Essex County 911 transferred a lost hiker’s cell phone call to the DEC Dispatch in Ray Brook. The 30-year-old male caller from Dannemora, NY stated he was lost with a 25-year-old female friend from Potsdam, NY off the Wilmington Notch trail. Essex County provided coordinates from the cell phone call and two DEC Forest Rangers responded. At 9:00 p.m. Rangers located both hikers in good health, escorted them back to the road and provided a courtesy ride to their vehicle at 9:15 p.m.

High Peaks Wilderness, Town of Keene
Distressed Hiker: On September 29, 2014 at 3:00 p.m., Essex County 911 transferred a caller to the DEC Dispatch in Ray Brook requesting rescue of a 19-year-old female hiker from Michigan on the summit of the Brothers in the Town of Keene. Four DEC Forest Rangers responded by ground to Marcy Field to coordinate with State Police Aviation. Keene Valley Backcountry Rescue team members approached on foot to the summit of the second Brothers from the Garden parking area. At 4:00 p.m., two additional Forest Rangers, along with State Police Aviation and two North Country Life Flight paramedics responded to the summit. The hiker was assessed, hoisted into the helicopter and brought to Adirondack Medical Center in Saranac Lake at 4:45 p.m.

High Peaks Wilderness, Town of North Elba
Lost Hiker: On September 30, 2014 at 12:00 a.m., DEC Central Dispatch received a call reporting a missing member of a hiking party. The 48-year old female from Ontario, Canada had become separated from her hiking party after hiking to the summit of Mt. Marcy. A DEC Forest Ranger responded. The hiker was located at 2:45 a.m. on the trail near Marcy Dam. She had separated from her group and taken a wrong turn at the high water bridge. She had started to go back up Marcy when she realized her mistake and hiked down the correct trail, where she was met by the Forest Ranger. She was reunited with her group at the Adirondack Loj at 3:15 a.m.

High Peaks Wilderness, Town of Newcomb
Overdue Hiker: On September 30, 2014 at 5:30 p.m., A DEC Forest Ranger responded to a report of an overdue hiker at Upper Works. The 34-year-old female from Keene, NH was last seen at 1:30 p.m. coming out of Upper Works with her hiking group. When the group arrived at the parking lot she was not accounted for. The group leaders went to the point last scene and could not locate her. The Forest Ranger arrived on scene at 5:47 p.m. and began looking. The Ranger located the hiker on the cross over trail to Indian Pass. The hiker had taken a wrong turn, realized her mistake and doubled back. She was escorted out and reunited with her group at 6:37 p.m.

Washington County
Lake George Wild Forest, Town of Dresden
Lost Hiker: On October 3, 2014 at 6:04 p.m., DEC Dispatch in Ray Brook received a report regarding a 31-year-old female hiker from Gansevoort, NY who had texted a relative that she was lost on Black Mountain. She texted that she was turned around and on the Southside of the mountain. Two DEC Forest Rangers responded to Black Mountain while another Ranger was dispatched by boat to check the backside of Black Mountain. Through texting, it was determined the hiker was on the trail and roughly one mile from the shoreline of Lake George. A Forest Ranger blew the siren on the boat which she heard. He made voice contact with the female at 8:57 p.m. Once she was located she was escorted down the mountain to the Forest Ranger in a waiting boat. The Rangers transported her to Hulett’s Landing and then back to the Black Mountain Trailhead.

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