New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Forest Rangers respond to wildfires, and 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:
Town of Hunter, Greene County
Wilderness Search: On March 31 at 1:15 a.m., Greene County 911 requested Forest Ranger assistance to search for two overdue hikers. The reporting party last spoke to the pair on March 30 at 4:30 p.m. Rangers Fox and Peterson located the subjects’ vehicle at a parking lot on Platte Clove Road in the Catskills.
At 4 a.m., Rangers located the hikers in good condition at the Echo Lake lean-to. There was a miscommunication between the hikers and the reporting party about the trip duration. The hikers decided to pack up and hike out with the Rangers and resources were clear at 8:30 a.m.
Town of Hoosick, Rensselaer County
Water Rescue: On April 4, at 3:30 p.m., Forest Ranger Jackson responded to a call for a 16-year-old who jumped from a train trestle into the Hoosic River near Mechanic Street.
At 3:48 p.m., Ranger Jackson met Hoosick Falls Fire and Hoosick Falls Police at the scene. The subject was clinging to a rock just upstream from a waterfall. Ranger Jackson and New York State Police donned rescue gear and entered the water to rescue the teenager, who also had a lower leg injury.
Once on shore, rescuers warmed the subject and determined the safest way to complete the rescue was using a ladder truck, ropes and straps, and a litter.
They successfully raised the subject up and over a retaining wall to an awaiting ambulance, which transported them to Albany Medical Center. Resources were clear at 5:10 p.m.
If you or someone you know needs mental health assistance, help is available. Call or text 988 for New York State’s free 24-hour hotline. You can also call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK.
Town of Shandaken, Ulster County
Wilderness Rescue: On April 5 at 10:30 a.m., Ray Brook Dispatch received a call from a hiker requesting Forest Ranger assistance due to exhaustion on the Slide-Cornell-Wittenberg Trail. The 37-year-old from Rego Park originally planned to hike the “Catskill 9.”
The subject underestimated the difficulty of the hike, which was more challenging due to heavy rain and fog. After camping the night, the hiker decided to skip Cornell and Wittenberg Mountains and planned to hike over Slide Mountain back to the Denning Road trailhead.
While making that hike, the subject decided they couldn’t continue and called for help.
Ranger Horn made contact with the hiker and encouraged them to drink water and head towards the Slide Mountain trailhead. Ranger Franke and Horn hiked in and met the hiker on the trail, provided hot tea and food, and assisted them to the trailhead. Resources were clear at 1:45 p.m.
Read About Other Recent Forest Ranger Missions
Photo of hikers found in Hunter provided by DEC.
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