Cascade hikers lose party member while tripping, on mushrooms

Recent New York State Forest Ranger actions in the Adirondack region:

‘Dude, where’s my hiking buddy?’

On May 24 at 9 a.m., Forest Ranger Praczkajlo responded to a call for a reportedly deceased hiker on Cascade Mountain. Two hikers had called 911 to report the third member of their hiking party had died. When the hikers encountered the Cascade Summit Steward, the pair also advised that they were lost. The steward determined the hikers were in an altered mental state. The third member of their party called and was not injured. Ranger Praczkajlo escorted the two hikers, who had ingested hallucinogenic mushrooms, to a waiting ambulance and New York State Police unit. Ranger Praczkajlo escorted the third hiker back to their campsite.

Leg injury on Prospect Mountain

Town of Lake George, Warren County: On May 25 at 3 p.m., Forest Ranger Donegan responded to a call for a hiker with a leg injury on the Prospect Mountain trail. Ranger Donegan hiked to the 49-year-old from Manlius, splinted the hiker’s ankle, and packaged him in a litter. With the help of Lake George Fire and EMS and North Queensbury Fire, Ranger Donegan carried the subject to a waiting ambulance. Resources were clear at 5:33 p.m.

Assistant Forest Ranger training

Town of Newcomb, Essex County: From May 18 to 23, 12 new Assistant Forest Rangers (AFRs) attended training at SUNY ESF’s Newcomb campus. The 12 AFRs join eight returning AFRs from last summer. AFRs trained in communications, Leave No Trace principles, state land rules and regulations, land navigation, wildland fire, and wilderness first aid. For the spring and summer hiking seasons, 12 AFRs will be stationed in the Adirondacks, five in the Catskills, and three in Western New York.

Hikers stuck in the dark on Marcy Dam truck trail

Town of North Elba, Essex County: Wilderness Search: On May 26 at 10:41 p.m., Ray Brook Dispatch requested Forest Ranger assistance with a group of three hikers on the Marcy Dam truck trail. The hikers from Georgia could not get out of the woods because they didn’t have adequate light sources. Ranger Duchene found the hikers and escorted them out of the woods.

DEC encourages hikers to bring head lamps and extra batteries. Cell phones are not a good source of light in the High Peaks; batteries often run out quickly leaving hikers with no light.

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.

Photo at top: Hikers on Cascade Mountain. Explorer file photo by Mike Lynch