New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Forest Rangers respond to search and rescue incidents throughout New York State. Working with other state agencies, local emergency response organizations and volunteer search and rescue groups, Forest Rangers locate and extract lost, injured or distressed people and engage in policing on New York State Lands.
What follows is a report, prepared by DEC, of recent missions carried out by Forest Rangers.Town of Arietta, Hamilton County
Wildland Fire: On Oct. 9 at 2:30 p.m., while patrolling West Canada Lakes Wilderness, Forest Rangers Caswell, Hamm, and O’Connell discovered a ground fire on Spruce Lake caused by an unattended campfire. Rangers continued suppression efforts through the night and removed nearby hazards. Rangers patrolled the fire until October 11 when they declared it out.
Town of Hunter, Greene County
Wilderness Rescue: On Oct. 16 at 5:05 p.m., Greene County requested Forest Ranger assistance with a hiker who had suffered an ankle injury at Huckleberry Point in the Kaaterskill Wild Forest. Rangers Bink and Horn splinted the subject’s ankle. Rangers joined Tannersville Fire and Hunter Police and Ambulance personnel to extricate the hiker via UTV. The 35-year-old from New York City decided to seek further medical attention on her own. Resources were clear at 7:25 p.m.
Town of North Elba, Essex County
Wilderness Rescue: On Oct. 17 at 5:03 p.m., Ray Brook Dispatch received a call from Essex County 911 about a hiker with a back injury on Phelps Mountain. At 5:45 p.m., Rangers reached the 68-year-old from the state of Washington. By 8:34 p.m., Rangers were back at the trailhead with the subject.
Village of Greenwood Lake, Orange County
Wildland Fire: On Oct. 18 at 4:30 p.m., New Jersey State Fire contacted DEC’s Regional Office in New Paltz to report a fire crossed over state lines into Sterling Forest State Park. Forest Ranger Jahn responded with New York State Park Rangers. By 6:10 p.m., responders contained the fire to 5.9 acres in New York and 0.7 acres in New Jersey.
Town of Colton, St. Lawrence County
Wilderness Rescue: On Oct. 19 at 6:24 p.m., Ray Brook Dispatch received a call from a hiking party attempting the Cranberry Lake 50, a 50-mile circumnavigation of the lake. One member of the party was suffering from dehydration. Forest Ranger Benzel spoke to the reporting party who indicated the 26-year-old from Connecticut was getting better with fluids and did not need Ranger assistance until the morning.
An hour later, the hiking party called again to advise the subject was getting worse. The hikers were approximately 1.6 miles east of Campsite 17 along the Otter Brook trail at the time of the call. At 10:32 p.m., Rangers Benzel and Ellis and members of the Cranberry Lake and Star Lake Fire Departments located and transported the subject back to Cranberry Lake via boat. At 11:41 p.m., an ambulance transported the subject to the hospital.
Town of Keene, Essex County
Wilderness Rescue: On Oct. 19 at 7:31 p.m., Forest Ranger O’Connor responded to a call for a hiker with ankle and head injuries on Bear Den Mountain. Ranger O’Connor reached the pair from Stephentown and Gansevoort and determined the injuries were minor, but both hikers were dehydrated.
Rangers O’Connor provided nourishment and assisted the pair back to their vehicle at 9:12 p.m. DEC encourages hikers to make sure they are hydrated and well-nourished before heading out for a hike. DEC also encourages to plan ahead and prepare, and bring extra food and water in case their hike takes longer than expected. Tips to Hike Smart NY are available on the DEC website.
Village of Tupper Lake, Franklin County
Wilderness Search: On Oct. 19 at 7:36 p.m., Ray Brook Dispatch received a call about an overdue hiker on Coney Mountain. Forest Ranger Curcio verified the hiker’s vehicle was still in the parking area. Ranger Curcio hiked the mile-long trail to the summit but did not see the 69-year-old from Lake Clear. More Rangers joined the search and located the subject off trail in good health. They helped her back to the trailhead and resources were clear at 12:18 a.m.
Town of Dresden, Washington County
Wilderness Rescue: On Oct. 20 at 2:18 p.m., Ray Brook Dispatch received a call from the leader of a YMCA hiking group to report one of six hikers was suffering from muscle exhaustion and couldn’t continue hiking Black Mountain on his own. Rangers Carabetta and Kabrehl hiked in and escorted the 70-year-old from Ballston Spa down the mountain to the parking lot where he refused further medical attention. Resources were clear at 4:34 p.m.
Town of Hunter, Greene County
Wilderness Rescue: On Oct. 20 at 3:15 p.m., Forest Ranger Dawson responded to a call for a hiker with a finger injury on the Escarpment trail near Boulder Rock in Kaaterskill Wild Forest. The 30-year-old from New Jersey planned a hike near North South Lake Campground but followed the wrong path to the Escarpment trail and ended up on steep slopes with loose soil and slippery leaves. He slid approximately 15 feet and broke his finger. Ranger Dawson splinted the finger and assisted the hiker back to the trail where they were met by Ranger Gullen. Rangers helped the subject back to the trailhead and he declined further medical care. Resources were clear at 5:30 p.m.
Read past Forest Ranger search and rescue reports here.
Photo of Sterling Forest State Park fire provided by DEC.
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