New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Forest Rangers responded to a call received by their Ray Brook Dispatch office on Sunday, February 1, 2026 at about 5:30 pm about two hikers and their dog who were unable to continue their hike on Mount Haystack. With an elevation of 4,960 feet, Haystack is the third-highest mountain in New York.
One of the 46 High Peaks, it’s located in the Town of North Elba, Essex County in the Adirondack Park and is currently covered with several feet of snow.
Forest Rangers Jansen and Lewis responded to the scene. They reported the hikers did not have proper traction devices for the icy conditions and didn’t have headlamps to assist them in the dark.
Jansen and Lewis met the subjects on the trail and escorted them out of the woods around 8 pm.
This was the second time in two weeks when hikers and their dogs needed rescue from the tops of wilderness peaks in full winter conditions.
Rangers suggest hiking with the 10 hiking essentials, including proper footwear, traction devices, and a light source.
Read about more recent backcountry rescues.
Photo: Allen Mountain in December, 2024, with conditions similar to those currently being experienced in the Adirondack High Peaks.
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