In September 1901, Theodore Roosevelt’s overnight journey from Mount Marcy through Newcomb and North Creek became one of the Adirondacks’ most consequential and well-remembered moments. [Read more…] about 125 Years Later: Teddy Roosevelt’s Ride to the Presidency
High Peaks
Backcountry Rescue Surge: Axe Injury, Cascade Fall, Lost Party of 9, Many Unprepared
Between August 3 and August 9, 2026, New York State Forest Rangers responded to a surge of backcountry rescues, many due to inadequate gear, poor navigation skills, and physical exhaustion. The following Forest Ranger reports show how unpreparedness and unpredictable events can turn a fun hike into an emergency. Use the links to navigate to stories about that geographical area. [Read more…] about Backcountry Rescue Surge: Axe Injury, Cascade Fall, Lost Party of 9, Many Unprepared
High Peaks Avalanche Pass Trail Rebuild Underway
Last summer, heavy rain triggered a massive landslide on Mount Colden in the Adirondack High Peaks. The landslide dumped downed trees, rocks, and mud into Avalanche Pass. Since then, the trail through Avalanche Pass has been closed to hikers.
State and volunteer crews have been working this summer to clean up and rebuild the trail. [Read more…] about High Peaks Avalanche Pass Trail Rebuild Underway
Campers Rescued from Violent Storm; Injured Cliff Jumper; Many More Rescues
New York State Forest Rangers spent a busy week rescuing numerous people from backcountry dangers, including: a 77-year-old rescued by helicopter in the Adirondack High Peaks; Lows Lake campers stranded by a violent storm; a teen medical emergency near Cranberry Lake; a capsized boat; an injured cliff jumper on the West Branch Ausable River which included a technical rope rescue; and dehydrated hikers and hikers with lower leg injuries in the Adirondacks and Catskills.
Be sure to eat before hiking and bring plenty of water and extra food that’s high in protein and calories. Read the Ten Hiking Essentials. [Read more…] about Campers Rescued from Violent Storm; Injured Cliff Jumper; Many More Rescues
Rangers Respond to Plane Crash, High Peaks Wildfire & Backcountry Rescues
New York State Forest Rangers had another busy week across the state responding to a plane crash near the Adirondack Rail Trail, several wilderness rescues, and wildfires in the Adirondack High Peaks and in Stony Creek. [Read more…] about Rangers Respond to Plane Crash, High Peaks Wildfire & Backcountry Rescues
Dog Rescued After Fall Over Falls; Ill and Injured Hikers Rescued
New York State Forest Rangers had another busy week with dangerous rescue operations in the Adirondacks, Catskills, and elsewhere. Including a dog that went over the edge at Fawn’s Leap Falls; an unconscious hiker at Kaaterskill Falls; several hikers with lower leg injuries; and more. [Read more…] about Dog Rescued After Fall Over Falls; Ill and Injured Hikers Rescued
Rangers Recover Paddler’s Body; Respond to Overdue Hikers
Rainy weather last weekend kept many people from seeking outdoor recreation opportunities, but NY State Forest Rangers and State Police recovered the body of a paddler from an overturned canoe who could not swim in Wyoming County. They also responded to a call about a nine-year-old and an 11-year-old separated from their hiking group in the Adirondack High Peaks, and a 24-year-old overdue and unprepared hiker in the Johns Brook Valley. [Read more…] about Rangers Recover Paddler’s Body; Respond to Overdue Hikers
Rangers Fight Wildfires, Respond to Ill, Injured, Lost Hikers, Paddler
New York State Forest Rangers have seen a dramatic increase in missions with the advent of the summer hiking season. They recently responded to more than a half-dozen distressed recreationists in the Adirondacks, several of whom were poorly prepared, along with others in scattered other parts of the state. They also fought two wild land fires, one at a logging header. [Read more…] about Rangers Fight Wildfires, Respond to Ill, Injured, Lost Hikers, Paddler
Rangers Respond To Lost & Injured Hikers
New York State Forest Rangers recently responded to a lost hiker at Crane Mountain, a hiker with blisters on the Cranberry Lake 50 trail, and several hikers with injuries in the Adirondack High Peaks. [Read more…] about Rangers Respond To Lost & Injured Hikers
Forest Rangers Recover Body, Make Several Rescues of Lost, Injured, Unprepared
More hikers in the woods and nicer weather led to several NYS Forest Ranger missions to rescue injured, lost, or unprepared people in the backcountry of the Adirondacks, Catskills, and elsewhere around New York. They also recovered a man’s body in the Croghan Tract Conservation Easement in Lewis County. [Read more…] about Forest Rangers Recover Body, Make Several Rescues of Lost, Injured, Unprepared
New Rules After Death of Assistant Forest Ranger
It’s been nearly a year since an Assistant Forest Ranger’s body was found in the Adirondack backcountry.
Brendan Jackson’s death revealed a key failure of how the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) tracks its staff in the field and prompted a review of its personnel policies. [Read more…] about New Rules After Death of Assistant Forest Ranger
Rangers Respond: Missing Child, Brush Fires, Overnight High Peaks Rescue, Ill, Injured and Lost Hikers
Hot dry weather and lack of rain remains a wildfire concern around state. Since May 4th, New York State Forest Rangers fought two brush fires. In Saratoga County a wildfire began with ashes dumped outside, and a two-acre fire of unknown origin in Warrensburg damaged a structure.
Rangers also provided overnight assistance of two lost hikers in the remote Cold Brook Pass in the Adirondack High Peaks, and aided in locating another near Indian Pass Brook. On May 8th they participated in the search for a missing eight-year-old in Allegany County. Those reports and more are below, provided by DEC: [Read more…] about Rangers Respond: Missing Child, Brush Fires, Overnight High Peaks Rescue, Ill, Injured and Lost Hikers
High Peaks, Kaaterskill Clove Public Comments Deadline June 1st
Public feedback on the two reports regarding Visitor Use Management (VUM) for the Adirondack High Peaks Wilderness and Kaaterskill Clove region of the Catskill Park is being accepted until June 1, 2026 by either email or mail.
Over the last decade, visitation to public lands across the country, including New York’s Forest Preserve, has been on an upward trend. The Adirondack High Peaks and the Catskill Park’s Kaaterskill Clove are among the most highly visited regions in the State. [Read more…] about High Peaks, Kaaterskill Clove Public Comments Deadline June 1st
Tussock Cottongrass: Champion of Bogs and Alpine Areas
A bog is a special natural community, characterized by deep, wet, and acidic soil below an open sky. Soft sphagnum mosses squish underfoot, dominating the surface of the bog and making up the mostly undecomposed organic soil below.
The ground springs up and down with each step – a sign that the entire surface of vegetation is saturated with water and even floating in some cases. [Read more…] about Tussock Cottongrass: Champion of Bogs and Alpine Areas
Adirondack Mountain Reserve Reservation System Begins
The parking reservation system for the privately-owned Adirondack Mountain Reserve (AMR) has returned for the season.
The no-cost reservation system helps mitigate risk to pedestrians and motorists along the busy stretch of Route 73 in the Town of Keene. Reservations for the 2026 season will began April 17, 2026. [Read more…] about Adirondack Mountain Reserve Reservation System Begins
Rangers Battle Wildfires; Rescue Numerous Hikers; High Tor Fall Victim; Recover Teen at Kaaterskill Creek
Wildfires remain a concern across New York State. Checking the weather before hiking. The temperature and conditions at the top of a mountain are often very different from those at the trailhead.
It’s Mud Season, wildland stewards advise that recreationists should stick to drier lower elevation areas to avoid damaging trails and fragile higher elevation ecosystems.
The following are recent missions carried out by New York State Forest Rangers: [Read more…] about Rangers Battle Wildfires; Rescue Numerous Hikers; High Tor Fall Victim; Recover Teen at Kaaterskill Creek
Just 3% of Adirondack Park Is More Three Miles From A Motorized Corridor
New York State’s Adirondack Park offers much less remoteness than you might imagine. In the 2010s when all areas at least three miles from a road and at least two miles from motorized lakes were mapped, it left less than 3% of the Park.
Now a coalition of environmental organizations is asking the Adirondack Park Agency (APA) to develop new Policy and Guidance to measure and better protect those remote areas. [Read more…] about Just 3% of Adirondack Park Is More Three Miles From A Motorized Corridor
DEC Considering Hiking Limits in Most Popular Adirondack, Catskill Areas
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has announced the release of two reports regarding Visitor Use Management (VUM) for the Adirondack High Peaks Wilderness and Kaaterskill Clove region of the Catskill Park.
DEC is soliciting feedback from the public to help inform additional actions the State may take to enhance safety and the visitor experience. These actions include recreation limits at the two Park’s most popular areas. [Read more…] about DEC Considering Hiking Limits in Most Popular Adirondack, Catskill Areas
Forest Rangers Rescue Lost, Ill and Injured Hikers in Adks, Catskills
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: [Read more…] about Forest Rangers Rescue Lost, Ill and Injured Hikers in Adks, Catskills
Rangers Recover Body, Locate Missing 10-Year-Old, Rescue Hikers
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: [Read more…] about Rangers Recover Body, Locate Missing 10-Year-Old, Rescue Hikers