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 and engage in policing on New York State Lands.
What follows is a report, prepared by DEC, of recent missions carried out by Forest Rangers.
Town of North Elba
Essex County
Wilderness Rescue: On Sept. 3 at 2 p.m., Ray Brook Dispatch received a call about a hiker with an ankle injury approximately three miles from the summit of Mount Jo. Forest Rangers Curcio, Evans, and Rooney hiked in and assisted the 33-year-old from Canada back to his campsite where he decided to seek further medical attention on his own. Resources were clear at 4:30 p.m.
Town of Piercefield
St. Lawrence County
Wilderness Search: On Sept. 4 at 10 p.m., New York State Police was notified about a missing hiker on the Mount Arab trail. Forest Rangers Benzel and Corey interviewed the missing subject’s hiking companion who said the pair became separated on the way down the trail.
At 11:15 p.m., Ranger Corey located the 45-year-old from Croghan. Rangers Corey and Ellis assisted the subject to an ambulance at the trailhead. Piercefield EMS warmed the subject and released her back to her hiking partner. Resources were clear at 12:32 a.m.
Town of Harrietstown
Franklin County
Wilderness Search: On Sept. 4 at 10:15 p.m., Ray Brook Dispatch notified Forest Ranger Corey of an overdue hiker in the Seward Mountain Range. The hiker’s friend called to report the 23-year-old from Massachusetts was hiking alone and should have been back by 7:30 p.m. At 11:14 p.m., Ranger Ordway located the missing hiker’s vehicle at the Seward Mountain trailhead.
Rangers Corey and Nahor joined the search. At 2:01 a.m., Rangers located the subject at the Calkins Brook trail. While hiking down earlier in the evening, the hiker ran out of daylight and her phone died, which was her only source for navigation and light. Rangers reached the trailhead with the hiker at 2:50 a.m.
While phones can be useful, in the wilderness they can lose their charge quickly. It is important to have a map and compass and know how to use them. A headlamp or other light source is also a necessity; phones should not be relied on for light.
Town of Indian Lake
Hamilton County
Wilderness Rescue: On Sept. 6 at 1:40 p.m., Ray Brook Dispatch received a call from Hamilton County 911 about an SOS beacon that had been activated on the Northville-Placid Trail in the Blue Ridge Wilderness. A 70-year-old from Pennsylvania had fallen approximately 10 feet while transitioning from a foot bridge to the trail and landed head-first in a rock pile.
A member of his hiking party is a wilderness first responder and reported head and possible spinal cord injuries. At 2:30 p.m., Forest Rangers Milano and Snye reached the subject. A total of seven Rangers used a backpack litter to carry the subject 1.5 miles to Indian Lake EMS and a LifeNet helicopter, which flew the patient to the hospital. Resources were clear at 5:30 p.m.
Town of Keene
Essex County
Wilderness Rescue: On Sept. 7 at 11:45 a.m., Ray Brook Dispatch received a call from a hiker who could not continue hiking on Lower Wolfjaw Mountain and reported extreme fatigue. Forest Rangers Curcio and Rooney reached the 22-year-old from Troy and assisted him and his hiking partner back to the road and their vehicle. Resources were clear at 3:35 p.m.
It’s important to train for a hike prior to attempting a high peak. Starting with easier hikes and working up to the High Peaks is encouraged. If a hiker realizes the hike is more than they can handle, they should turn around and try again another day rather than pushing limits and needing to call for a rescue.
Town of Orwell
Oswego County
UTV Accident: On Sept. 7 at 5:56 p.m., Forest Ranger Petit responded to a UTV accident. Ranger Petit assisted medical personnel at the scene with care of the four patients. All four were taken by ambulance to the hospital.
Town of Webb
Herkimer County
Water Rescue: On Sept. 8 at 11:44 a.m., Forest Ranger Lee responded to a call for four boaters in need of assistance at Stillwater Reservoir. Strong winds and rough water caused the boats to fill with water and nearly capsize. A good Samaritan transported two of the subjects to shore.
The remaining pair stayed with the two boats. Ranger Lee used a Ranger boat to assist. The Ranger boat and a passerby’s boat broke the waves and blocked the wind, allowing the two remaining boaters to make it back to the boat launch. Ranger Lee retrieved the group’s lost gear and returned it to them at the boat launch at 3 p.m.
Town of Hunter
Greene County
Wilderness Search: On Sept. 8 at 5 p.m., Forest Rangers Fox and Seeley responded to a call for a hiker who got lost descending Kaaterskill High Peak. Ranger Lieutenant Breigle made phone contact with the subject and determined he was on a snowmobile trail. Rangers located the hiker and led him out of the woods. Resources were clear at 7:26 p.m.
Read past Forest Ranger search and rescue reports here.
Photo of Northville Placid Trail rescue provided by DEC.
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