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Rangers Kept Busy With Backcountry Rescues

February 28, 2023 by Editorial Staff Leave a Comment

forest ranger logoNew 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.

Albany County

City of Albany
Illegal Motor Vehicle Use: On February 21st Ray Brook Dispatch was notified about a motor vehicle abandoned in the woods approximately one-half mile from the Albany Pine Bush Madison Avenue Pinelands trailhead. Forest Ranger Mitchell and the Albany Police Department responded, and upon investigation, determined the vehicle drove through the split rail fence at the trailhead, drove down the hiking trail, and became stuck. Ranger Mitchell issued a ticket to the driver, a 42-year-old from Troy, for unauthorized use of a motor vehicle on Albany Pine Bush Preserve lands. Albany Police issued several vehicle and traffic tickets. The vehicle was not operational and towed out of the woods at the owner’s expense.

Essex County

Town of Elizabethtown
Wilderness Rescue: On February 22nd at 4:40 pm, Ray Brook Dispatch requested Forest Ranger assistance with a disoriented hiker in the vicinity of Bald Peak in the Giant Mountain Wilderness Area. The pair of hikers in their 20s from Rochester and Scottsville were concerned they would not make it out of the woods before dark and reported suffering from cramping and panic attacks. At 9:10 pm, Rangers reached the subjects, warmed them, and started assisting the pair back to the trailhead. Rangers and the hikers reached the Bald Peak trailhead at 2:44 am.

Town of North Elba
Wilderness Rescue: On February 25th at 5:03 pm, Forest Ranger Mecus responded to a call for a hiker with an unstable lower leg injury on Wright Peak. At 7:53 pm, Ranger Mecus reached the 60-year-old from Canada, stabilized her leg, and began packaging her in a toboggan. Five additional Rangers assisted with the carry out. Using the toboggan and a rope system, Rangers brought the subject to the Adirondak Loj by 10:25 pm. The hiking party transported her for further medical attention.

Herkimer County

Town of Webb
Snowmobiler Rescued: On February 26th at 1:40 pm, Forest Rangers Bills, Lee, McCartney, and Waligory responded to a snowmobile accident on Stillwater Reservoir. A 70-year old from New Jersey had hit an uneven patch of ice or a stump and was ejected from their snowmobile. The subject suffered facial abrasions, neck and back pain, and couldn’t feel his legs. Rangers assisted Big Moose and Old Forge fire departments with packaging the subject into a toboggan and stabilizing his head until they reached the boat launch. Old Forge EMS transported the subject to the hospital at 4 pm.

Ulster County

Town of Olive
Wilderness Rescue: On February 20th at 6:30 pm, Forest Rangers Horn and Martin responded to a call for a lost hiker in Sundown Wild Forest. The 75-year-old from West Shokan lost the trail and her cell phone battery died, leaving her with no other source of light. Rangers reached the subject 15 minutes later and helped her back to her vehicle at the trailhead. Winter hikers are encouraged to come prepared for the outdoors.

Town of Woodstock
Wilderness Rescue: On February 23rd at 1:30 pm, Forest Rangers Franceschina, Horn, Martin, and Sweeney responded to a call for a camper in need of assistance in the Overlook Mountain Wild Forest near Echo Lake. The 18-year-old from Brooklyn ran out of food and water and was struggling walking to the trailhead. Rangers reached the subject at 2:35 pm, provided food and water, and helped him back to the trailhead. Resources were clear at 4 pm.

Read past Forest Ranger search and rescue reports here.

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Filed Under: Adirondacks & NNY, Capital-Saratoga, Hudson Valley - Catskills, Nature, Recreation Tagged With: camping, DEC, Forest Ranger Reports, Forest Rangers, hiking, SAR, Search and Rescue, snowmobiling

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