Forest rangers in New York recently had to conduct four separate rescues of people who became lost in the woods and did not have a light source.
On Saturday, October 10, forest rangers received a call at 9:33 p.m. from three hikers without a light source on Marble Mountain in Wilmington, New York.
Two rangers located the two 20-year-olds and 14-year-old.
The hikers were reportedly relying on their cell phones for light, but rangers said that rapidly drains a phone’s battery.
Rangers provided headlamps and helped the group out of the woods by 10:42 p.m.
Hikers Relied On Cell Phones For Light
In a similar incident in Wilmington the very next day, a hiker called 911 at 7:16 p.m. and said their phone was about to die. Officials lost connection with the hiker shortly after.
Coordinates placed the caller on the Flume Trail in Wilmington Wild Forest. Two forest rangers located the two hikers in the dark. Neither hiker reporedly had a light source.
Rangers said the two 18-year-olds made a wrong turn after hiking Whiteface Mountain. Rangers assisted them to the trailhead and the incident was clear at 8:23 p.m.
Lost Hunter With No Light
On Friday, October 16, New York State Police (NYSP) requested help from forest rangers at 12:14 a.m. in searching for an overdue hunter in Allegany State Park in Red House, New York.
Nine Rangers, New York State Park Police, Niagara Frontier Search and Rescue, the Chautauqua County Search Team, and NYSP drone and canine teams searched through the night.
At 9:54 a.m., New York State Park Police conducting a linear search along a trail located the hunter in good health.
The hunter reportedly did not have a cell phone or a light. When it started raining that night, the hunter said he sat down under a tree for shelter until the rain stopped in the morning.
Hikers Without Lights Call 911
On Saturday, October 17 at 9:30 p.m., rangers received a 911 report about two hikers without lights on Second Brother Mountain in Keene.
Two rangers responded to the coordinates and located the hikers at 1 a.m. Rangers provided headlamps and escorted them back to the trailhead.
