The Peru Gazette

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Forest Rangers respond to search and rescue incidents statewide. 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 from across New York State.

Town of Piercefield
St. Lawrence County
Wilderness Rescue: On Sept. 17 at 10:25 a.m., DEC’s Central Dispatch received a call from a relative of two campers on the Bog River after one of the campers injured their back and had difficulty moving. Forest Rangers Baldwin, Lee, and Hogan responded to assist. At 12:20 p.m., Rangers Baldwin and Hogan located the campers and began the walk out to the road. At 1:07 p.m., Ranger Baldwin transported the campers back to their vehicle. The 66-year-old man from Honeoye Falls who had suffered the back injury stated he would seek further medical attention on his own.

Town of Keene
Essex County
Wilderness Rescue: On Sept. 18 at 7 p.m., Essex County 911 transferred a call to DEC’s Ray Brook Dispatch reporting a hiker with a chest injury on the Pitchoff Trail in the Sentinel Mountain Wilderness Area. Forest Ranger Praczkajlo responded to assist, locating the 68-year-old hiker from Waltham, Massachusetts, at 7:45 p.m. After administering first aid for injured ribs, the Ranger and the hiker walked out to the trailhead. At 8:33 p.m., they were back at the trailhead and the hiker stated he would seek further medical attention on his own.

Town of Wilmington
Essex County
Wilderness Rescue: On Sept. 19 at 7:47 p.m., DEC’s Ray Brook Dispatch received a call from a hiker who became separated from her sister while hiking Esther Mountain. The missing hiker was last seen near the outlook at Marble Mountain. Forest Rangers Burns and Evans responded to assist. At 9:38 p.m., Ranger Evans located the 31-year-old hiker from Canton who reported that she had fallen, lost consciousness and injured her right knee. Ranger Evans splinted the subject’s knee and escorted her down the trail to the reservoir trailhead where they were met by Ranger Burns. Once back at the trailhead, the injured hiker advised she would seek further medical treatment on her own.

Town of North Elba
Essex County
Wilderness Rescue: On Sept. 20 at 1:23 a.m., DEC’s Central Dispatch received a request for Ranger assistance for four overdue hikers spending the night at Marcy Dam as part of a group of 16. At 7:08 a.m., Forest Rangers, Assistant Forest Rangers, and caretakers responded to look for the missing hikers. The group initially set out to hike Marcy on Sept. 19, through Lake Colden but became separated. Two hikers attempted to get back to the campsite via Lake Arnold but could not make a water crossing and spent the night along the trail. At 7:15 a.m., the hikers returned to the campsite. The other two hikers became lost at Indian Falls when they accidentally took the ski trail back up toward Marcy and spent the night on the trail. Assistant Forest Ranger Engel located this pair at 9:32 a.m. and escorted them back to the group. Forest Rangers issued the hikers a ticket for an oversized group. The incident concluded at 11 a.m.

Be sure to properly prepare and plan before entering the backcountry. Visit DEC’s Hike Smart NY and Adirondack Backcountry Information webpage for more information.