New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Forest Rangers respond to search and rescue incidents throughout New York State locating and extracting lost, injured or distressed people and policing state lands.
This report of recent missions carried out by Forest Rangers was prepared by DEC:
Town of Bolton, Warren County
Wilderness Rescue: On Oct. 10 at 4:11 p.m., a hiker called Ray Brook Dispatch from Thomas Mountain reporting their mother could not continue the hike due to a preexisting knee condition. Ranger Geyer made contact with the hiking party as they were coming down from the summit to the north trailhead.
Rangers searched the trail with negative results. Ranger Geyer called them back and instructed them to call 911 so they could get accurate coordinates. Coordinates placed them on the Ridge trail between Cat and Thomas Mountains.
Eleven Rangers carried a wheeled litter, medical equipment, and ropes to their location. After completing a medical assessment, Rangers wrapped the 73-year-old from Bath in a hypowrap for warmth and packaged the hiker into the litter. Rangers evacuated the patient using a series of ropes to reach an ATV. They reached the trailhead at 8:30 p.m.
Town of Blenheim, Schoharie County
Search: On Oct.10 at 6 p.m., Forest Ranger Welch responded to a call for a missing subject with dementia. The 83-year-old was last seen at 4 p.m. The Schoharie County Sheriff’s Department worked with Ranger Welch to search the wooded area surrounding the subject’s home by foot and also using a drone.
At 7:10 p.m., Schoharie County Dispatch received a call from someone reporting the missing subject knocking on their door looking for assistance to get back home. A Schoharie County Sheriff’s Department Sergeant responded and brought the subject back home.
Town of Clifton, St. Lawrence County
Wilderness Rescue: On Oct. 11 at 3:34 p.m., Ray Brook Dispatch was contacted by St. Lawrence County 911 about two hikers unable to make it back to the trailhead from Cranberry Lake Wild Forest.
The 29- and 57-year-olds were suffering from exhaustion after hiking the Peavine Swamp trail. Forest Rangers Emerson and Shea found the hikers, provided water and electrolytes, and assisted them back to the trailhead.
Town of Hunter, Greene County
Wilderness Recue: On Oct.11 at 3:45 p.m., Greene County 911 informed Forest Ranger Commerford that a hiker on the lower falls of Kaaterskill Falls was possibly experiencing a diabetic emergency and a partial loss of consciousness. At 4 p.m., Ranger Commerford and Assistant Forest Ranger (AFR) Massa reached the 34-year-old from New Jersey.
The hiker was not diabetic but was suffering from low blood sugar because they hadn’t eaten enough during the day. Rangers provided water and electrolytes while someone else in the hiking party provided snacks. After resting, the subject was feeling better and able to walk out.
Ranger Commerford and AFR Massa assisted the subject to the Laurel House trailhead, where they were met by Hunter EMS and Greene County Paramedic. Resources were clear at 5 p.m.
Rangers suggest eating plenty of food and drinking plenty of water before and during hikes to keep nourished for the entirety of the hike, and longer in case things don’t go as planned.
Town of North Elba, Essex County
Wilderness Rescue: On Oct. 11 at 5:45 p.m., the Marcy Dam caretaker contacted Ray Brook Dispatch about a hiker experiencing symptoms of dehydration. At 7:35 p.m., Rangers Duchene and R. Praczkajlo reached the 52-year-old from Yonkers. At 8:05 p.m., they made it to the trailhead where Lake Placid EMS then transported the patient to the hospital.
Town of Keene Valley, Essex County
Wilderness Rescue: On Oct. 12 at 12:25 p.m., Ray Brook Dispatch received a call from a hiker reporting their parent lost consciousness and then came to on the Big Slide trail. Forest Ranger R. Praczkajlo called the hiker and found out the 56-year-old from New Jersey was diabetic. Ranger Praczkajlo met the pair on the trail and assisted them back to the trailhead. The hiker refused further medical care.
Town of Arietta, Hamilton County
Wilderness Rescue: On Oct. 12 at 2:40 p.m., Forest Rangers Caswell and Hamm, the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Department, and Piseco Fire Department responded to Good Luck Cliff for a hiker with a possible broken ankle. Rangers reached the 35-year-old from Staten Island, splinted the injured ankle, and assisted the hiker back to the trailhead. Speculator EMS transported the patient to the hospital.
Town of Hunter, Greene County
Wilderness Rescue: On Oct. 12, at 2:32 p.m., a group of hikers stopped to see a historic stone building while hiking from South Lake Day Use Area to Kaaterskill Falls. While looking, a 27-year-old from East Patchogue fell and sustained a significant ankle injury.
Forest Rangers Dawson and Jackson located the subject on the yellow marked trail near the building. They splinted the ankle and got the patient to Ranger Dawson’s truck to drive to the South Lake Road trailhead. Hunter ambulance transported the patient to the hospital. Resources were clear at 4 p.m.
Photo of Thomas Mountain rescue provided by DEC.
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