The Catskills. (Andy Arthur/Flickr Photo)

The Catskills. (Andy Arthur/Flickr Photo)

New York forest rangers bushwacked through miles of rugged backcountry in the Catskill Mountains on Sunday, January 31 to rescue an injured hiker.

State Department of Environmental Conservation officials received a report at 1:30 p.m. of an injured hiker near the summit of Sherrill Mountain. A 71-year-old woman from Marbletown had injured her ankle after sliding down an icy section of trail between Sherrill and North Dome mountains in an area known for its rugged terrain.

Five DEC forest rangers and two volunteers from the Lexington Fire Department hiked with rescue equipment, bushwacking through three miles of trail-less, backcountry terrain to reach the injured hiker near the summit at 5:45 p.m. Rangers provided first aid and stabilized the hiker’s injured left ankle.

The rescue crew then carried the hiker out using an improvised backpack carry and an improvised litter to the parking area. Because of the difficult terrain, the rescue took more than seven hours, concluding at 1:15 a.m.

The patient declined further medical treatment at the scene and said she would seek additional medical care later.