New York forest rangers recently had to carry a severely-injured hiker more than a mile through the wilderness to a rescue helicopter.
According to New York Department of Environmental Conservation officials, rangers received a report from 911 at 1:40 p.m. on Friday, September 6 that an SOS beacon had been activated on the Northville-Placid Trail in the Blue Ridge Wilderness.
A 70-year-old from Pennsylvania had reportedly fallen roughly 10 feet while transitioning from a foot bridge to the trail and landed head-first in a rock pile.
A member of the man’s hiking party was a wilderness first responder and reported head and possible spinal cord injuries.
At 2:30 p.m., two forest rangers reached the injured hiker. A total of seven rangers used a backpack litter to carry the man 1.5 miles to Indian Lake EMS and a LifeNet helicopter, which flew the patient to a nearby hospital.
Resources were clear at 5:30 p.m.
The following are reports of other recent search and rescue incidents involving New York Department of Environmental Conservation forest rangers.
Town of North Elba
Essex County
Wilderness Rescue: On September 3 at 2 p.m., Ray Brook Dispatch received a call about a hiker with an ankle injury approximately three miles from the summit of Mount Jo. Three forest rangers hiked in and assisted the 33-year-old from Canada back to his campsite where he decided to seek further medical attention on his own. Resources were clear at 4:30 p.m.
Town of Piercefield
St. Lawrence County
Wilderness Search: On September 4 at 10 p.m., New York State Police was notified about a missing hiker on the Mount Arab trail. Two forest rangers interviewed the missing subject’s hiking companion who said the pair became separated on the way down the trail. At 11:15 p.m., one of the rangers located the 45-year-old from Croghan. Rangers assisted the subject to an ambulance at the trailhead. Piercefield EMS warmed the subject and released her back to her hiking partner. Resources were clear at 12:32 a.m.
Town of Harrietstown
Franklin County
Wilderness Search: On September 4 at 10:15 p.m., Ray Brook Dispatch notified a forest ranger of an overdue hiker in the Seward Mountain Range. The hiker’s friend called to report the 23-year-old from Massachusetts was hiking alone and should have been back by 7:30 p.m. At 11:14 p.m., another ranger located the missing hiker’s vehicle at the Seward Mountain trailhead. At 2:01 a.m., rangers located the subject at the Calkins Brook trail. While hiking down earlier in the evening, the hiker ran out of daylight and her phone died, which was her only source for navigation and light. Rangers reached the trailhead with the hiker at 2:50 a.m.
Town of Keene
Essex County
Wilderness Rescue: On September 7 at 11:45 a.m., Ray Brook Dispatch received a call from a hiker who could not continue hiking on Lower Wolfjaw Mountain and reported extreme fatigue. Forest rangers reached the 22-year-old from Troy and assisted him and his hiking partner back to the road and their vehicle. Resources were clear at 3:35 p.m.
Town of Webb
Herkimer County
Water Rescue: On September 8 at 11:44 a.m., a forest ranger responded to a call for four boaters in need of assistance at Stillwater Reservoir. Strong winds and rough water caused the boats to fill with water and nearly capsize. A good Samaritan transported two of the subjects to shore. The remaining pair stayed with the two boats. A ranger used a boat to assist. The ranger’s boat and a passerby’s boat broke the waves and blocked the wind, allowing the two remaining boaters to make it back to the boat launch. A ranger retrieved the group’s lost gear and returned it to them at the boat launch at 3 p.m.
Town of Hunter
Greene County
Wilderness Search: On September 8 at 5 p.m., two forest rangers responded to a call for a hiker who got lost descending Kaaterskill High Peak. A ranger made phone contact with the subject and determined he was on a snowmobile trail. Rangers located the hiker and led him out of the woods. Resources were clear at 7:26 p.m.