An injured hiker in a remote, rugged section of the Catskills had to be rescued by a helicopter crew last week. It was one of several rescue incidents involving New York forest rangers last week.
Rangers received a report at 2 p.m. on Friday, September 26 of a hiker with an ankle injury on Devil’s Path at Jimmy Dolan Notch between Indian Head and Twin Mountain in the Indian Head Wilderness Area.
Six rangers responded to the call, and at 4:30 p.m. the rangers, along with a paramedic and EMT reached the subject and determined it was an unstable ankle injury.
Due to the terrain and location, rangers requested a New York State Police helicopter for a hoist rescue.
A helicopter crew and two additional rangers flew to the location and executed a successful hoist.
Hunter EMS transported the 29-year-old hiker to the hospital. Resources were clear at 7:15 p.m.
Rangers in New York also conducted several other search and rescue missions last week.
On Wednesday, September 24 at 10:50 p.m., Ray Brook Dispatch received a call from an off-trail hiker near the summit of Mount Marcy.
At 2:40 a.m., three forest rangers reached the 65-year-old from Brooklyn, provided food and water, and started heading back to Marcy Dam.
At 9:45 a.m., they reached the Marcy Dam Outpost and rewarmed the subject. By 11:30 a.m., rangers completed escorting the subject to the trailhead.
On Saturday, September 27 at 11:45 a.m., Ray Brook Dispatch received a call about a hiker with a possible dislocated shoulder just below the summit of Snowy Mountain.
At 1:45 p.m., forest rangers reached the 61-year-old, evaluated the injury, and walked the subject to the trailhead to be met by Hamilton County EMS. Resources were clear at 3:50 p.m.
On Saturday, September 27 at 8 p.m., two forest rangers responded to a call for an 18-year-old hiker vomiting at the summit of Beck-Horn Mountain. The hiker was with another 18-year-old with no reported injury or illness.
Rangers said the pair from Wyoming County was prepared with headlamps with extra batteries, extra layers of clothes, and snack bars.
Rangers contacted the hikers and advised them to slowly hike down to stay warm. At 12:25 a.m., rangers reached the hikers, provided electrolytes and food, and escorted them to the trailhead. Resources were clear at 1:52 a.m.
On Sunday, September 28 at 4:54 p.m., Ray Brook Dispatch received a call for a hiker suffering from shortness of breath on Ampersand Mountain trail.
At 6 p.m., forest rangers and paramedics reached the subject and provided water and electrolytes. They reached the trailhead at 6:54 p.m. and transferred care to EMS.
On Sunday, September 28 at 9:50 p.m., Ray Brook Dispatch received a call from Essex County 911 reporting a hiker near the summit of Upper Wolfjaw Mountain having a hard time navigating their way out.
At 2:05 a.m., two rangers reached the subject at the summit. They escorted the subject back to the Garden trailhead and back to their vehicle. Resources were clear at 5 a.m.
