New 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 March 1, 2015 at 12:34 p.m., DEC Ray Brook Dispatch received a call about an injured hiker on Cliff Mountain. A 20-year-old woman from North Grandby, CT fell and slid approximately 25 feet before hitting a tree. A DEC Forest Ranger and the Lake Colden Outpost Interior Caretaker responded. They reached the hiker at 2:15 p.m. and brought her to the Lake Colden Outpost to warm up. At 3:43 p.m., additional Rangers and NYSP Aviation prepared and removed the injured woman by helicopter. She was transported to Adirondack Medical Center in Saranac Lake for treatment. The incident concluded at 4:15 p.m.

High Peaks Wilderness – Town of North Elba
Injured skier: On March 1, 2015 at 4:22 p.m., after clearing a previous search, two DEC Forest Rangers encountered an injured skier south of Marcy Dam. They determined the 30-year-old woman from New Hartford, NY could not travel out on her own. The Rangers brought her out via snowmobile and took her to ADK Loj where she said she would seek medical attention on her own. The incident concluded at 5:45 p.m.

Herkimer County

Independence River Wild Forest – Town of Webb
Injured snowmobiler: On February 27, 2015 at 11:23 a.m., DEC Ray Brook Dispatch received word of a snowmobile accident on Trail #1. The rider, a 48-year-old man from Paramus, NJ was having shoulder and lower leg pain. Big Moose EMS responded to the scene. They transported the man to the trailhead where he was taken by ambulance to the Lewis County Medical Center.

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