Recent actions from New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Forest Ranger in the Adirondacks:
Hiker with broken leg
Town of North Elba, Essex County: On May 27 at 5:10 p.m., Ray Brook Dispatch received a call about a hiker with an unstable leg injury one mile beyond Indian Pass Brook. Eight Forest Rangers and a paramedic responded and reached the patient by 9:25 p.m. The 26-year-old had broken her leg in multiple places. Rangers and the paramedic stabilized the leg then packaged the hiker in a litter. Rangers used a backpack carrier system for the three-mile carryout through rocky terrain and ankle-deep water to an Essex County ambulance. Resources were clear at 3:07 a.m.
Rowdy campers kicked out of Lake Durant
Town of Indian Lake, Hamilton County: On May 27 at 6 p.m., Forest Rangers Milano and Snye responded to the Lake Durant Campground to assist with an eviction. The caretaker had reported loud campers had caused a disturbance the previous night. Rangers issued seven tickets for charges including underage alcohol possession and leaving a fire unattended. Rangers remained on site to ensure the campers cleaned the area before they left and were safe to drive.
Deflated boat leaves Little Tupper campers stranded
Town of Long Lake, Hamilton County: On May 28 at 4:15 p.m., Ray Brook Dispatch called Forest Ranger Baldwin about a group stranded on the north shore of Little Tupper Lake after their inflatable boat was punctured. Coordinates placed the group on site #1 on Little Tupper Lake. Ranger Baldwin and Hamilton County Sheriff’s Deputy Skibinski bushwhacked into the site and at 5:10 p.m., found two 21-year-olds from New Jersey. The pair told rescuers there was another person in their party in an inflatable boat heading toward site #4 where their party was camping. At 5:45 p.m., rescuers called the camping party and learned the third person in the boat had not returned. Ranger Baldwin flew his drone but could not find the missing boater. At 7:30 p.m., rescuers used an inflatable boat to search the north side of the lake while trying to make voice contact with the missing subject. Two additional Rangers responded to search the Burn Road trail. At 8:30 p.m., the campers reported to rescuers that the missing boater had arrived on foot. The 21-year-old from New Jersey reported he had gotten lost and was eventually picked up by a Good Samaritan who dropped him off at the trailhead.
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Lost on Mount Jo
Town of North Elba, Essex County: On May 30 at 5:45 p.m., Ray Brook Dispatch received a call from a hiker who was off trail on Mount Jo. Forest Rangers called the 52-year-old hiker from Chittenango and guided him back to the trail over the phone. Rangers met the hiker to ensure he remained on trail and escorted him back to Adirondak Loj.
Help with Roaring Brook stream crossing
Town of Keene, Essex County: On May 31 at 4:20 p.m., Essex County 911 contacted Ray Brook Dispatch about a 911 text received from a hiker reporting he and his hiking partner were stranded due to rising stream levels on the Roaring Book trail in the Giant Mountain Wilderness. Forest Rangers hiked to the subjects’ location, helped them cross the brook, and escorted the hikers back to the trailhead.
Campers stuck at boat-access only site
Town of Long Lake, Hamilton County: On May 31 at 8 p.m., campers at the Hidden Cove lean-to called Ray Brook Dispatch to report they needed help getting out of their campsite due to a damaged boat. The site is only accessible by boat. Rangers Corey and Nahor responded to the Long Lake boat launch for a boat. By 9 p.m., Rangers extracted the campers from Bath, Steuben County, out of their campsite.
Photo at top: Mount Jo offers views of the High Peaks Wilderness. Explorer file photo by Tim Rowland
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Be sure to properly prepare and plan before entering the backcountry. Visit DEC’s Hike Smart NY, Adirondack Backcountry Information, and Catskill Backcountry Information webpages for more information.If a person needs a Forest Ranger, whether it’s for a search and rescue, to report a wildfire, or to report illegal activity on state lands and easements, they should call 833-NYS-RANGERS. If a person needs urgent assistance, they can call 911. To contact a Forest Ranger for information about a specific location, the DEC website has phone numbers for every Ranger listed by region: http://on.ny.gov/NYSForestRangerRoster
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