On July 22 at about 4:15 pm, Ray Brook Dispatch received calls for a hiker with a knee injury on Basin Mountain and a hiker with an ankle injury on Mount Colden. New York State Police Aviation was called in to assist with both rescues, which took place in the town Keene, Essex County, NY.
Assistant Forest Ranger Jackson helped the 20-year-old from Binghamton with the ankle injury to the Lake Colden outpost in the Adirondack High Peaks where State Police Pilot Oropallo had landed his helicopter. At 5:20 pm, the patient was flown to the hospital.
At 6 pm, Oropallo returned to to Basin Mountain in the High Peaks with Forest Rangers Lewis and O’Connor. Lewis lowered O’Connor by hoist down to help the 35-year-old from Painted Post in Steuben County, NY, who had suffered a knee injury.
The patient was hoisted into the helicopter and flown to the hospital.
The previous day, in the Town of Webb, Herkimer County at 4:20 pm, Forest Rangers responded to a report of a hiker with a leg injury on the trail to Bald Mountain.
Assistant Forest Ranger Bolton reached the 51-year-old from New Hampshire, wrapped her ankle, and provided medication for pain and swelling.
Forest Ranger McCartney arrived moments later and the two Rangers helped the hiker and her daughter back down the mountain. The pair reached their car at 6:07 pm.
Photo of injured hiker hoisted from Basin Mountain provided by DEC.
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