New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Forest Rangers respond to search and rescue incidents throughout New York State. 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.
What follows is a report, prepared by DEC, of recent missions carried out by Forest Rangers.
Essex County
Town of North Elba
Wilderness Rescue: On July 20th at 7:15 am, Northern Frontier Camp of Indian Lake contacted Ray Brook Dispatch to report a 17-year-old camper having a seizure near the Flowed Lands Lake. The camper from Delaware was attempting to hike 22 High Peaks in approximately one week. Forest Rangers Evans and Martin responded with the Lake Colden caretaker. The caretaker reached the subject at the Herbert Brook lean-to and brought them to the Lake Colden Outpost for possible aviation evacuation. At 10:38 am, New York State Police (NYSP) Aviation landed at Lake Colden where Rangers helped the subject into the helicopter, which brought the camper to the hospital for further treatment.
Town of Ticonderoga
Wilderness Rescue: On July 22nd at 4:10 pm, Forest Ranger Kabrehl responded to a call for two hikers who became lost on the Grizzle Ocean Mountain trail and were running out of water. The 43- and 15-year-old hikers from Buskirk were planning to hike the big loop to Pharaoh Lake and back to the Putnam Pond Campground. The hikers made it to Pharaoh Lake and headed toward Grizzle Ocean, but lost the trail near Wolf Pond. The subjects mistakenly thought they were in the Grizzle Ocean outlet and hiked upstream to find the trail. When they became exhausted and dehydrated, they called 911. Ranger Kabrehl found the subjects at 7 pm, provided water, and helped the pair back to the campground. Resources were clear at 9 pm.
Town of Keene
Wilderness Rescue: On July 24th at 7:40 pm, Forest Ranger Mecus found an injured hiker on the way down Mount Marcy. The 27-year-old from Ballston Lake became separated from her family at the summit and took a wrong turn at the Phelps junction. The hiker fell in a drainage and hurt her leg. Ranger Mecus bandaged the injury and helped the subject to the Johns Brook outpost. At 10:40 pm, Ranger Lewis arrived and assisted the hiker to the Garden trailhead. At 12:10 am, the hiker was reunited with her family.
Franklin County
Town of Harrietstown
Wilderness Rescue: On July 24th at 9:45 pm, Franklin County 911 requested Forest Ranger assistance for a pair of hikers on the Calkins Brook trail on the way down from Seward Mountain. The 49-year-old from Potsdam was out of water, suffering from dehydration, and didn’t think he could make it to the trailhead. Rangers Curcio, DiCintio, Lewis, O’Connor, and Praczkajlo responded. At 12:40 am, Ranger Curcio reached the subject and provided food and water. Rangers helped the hikers to the trailhead where the subject declined further medical care. Resources were clear at 1:50 am.
Sullivan County
Village of Wurtsboro
Wildland Fire: On July 25th at 11:30 am, Sullivan County 911 reached out to Ray Brook Dispatch requesting Forest Ranger assistance with a ground fire that was reigniting on a private wooded lot in Wurtsboro. According to the Wurtsboro Fire Chief, the fire was first reported on July 24th at 2 pm. Multiple fire departments responded to suppress the fire. Ranger Lieutenant Ashida and Ranger Pries responded and estimated the fire at 0.8 acres. A lighter was found near the origin of the fire the day before, but nothing else at the scene indicated the cause. DEC continues to urge New Yorkers to practice the utmost safety when building campfires this summer. Dry weather throughout June and July has increased the risk of fires. More information about how to reduce the risk of wildfires can be found on DEC’s website.
Read past Forest Ranger search and rescue reports here.
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