By Tim Rowland
In what appears to be an Adirondack first, 13 Hudson River rafters who had become stranded were rescued late Labor Day evening by four North Creek rail bikes. Rail bikes are small recreational carts whose riders propel them with pedals along unused train tracks.
Revolution Rail, which runs recreational rail bikes at multiple locations, was notified by the North Creek fire department on the night of Sept. 4 that a party of rafters was out after dark on the northeast shore of the Hudson with no easy way back to civilization.
RELATED: Read this week’s full DEC ranger report
Rev Rail senior guide Jaxon Roblee said the rafters, from an outings club of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, had mistimed the planned release of water from an upstream dam — a phenomenon known as “missing the bubble” — and become snagged in shallow water.
According to the Department of Environmental Conservation, after becoming stuck the group set out on foot along the riverbank to find help. Their route south, however, was effectively blocked by the Boreas River entering the Hudson — the rivers are shallow in late summer, but still treacherous to cross after dark.
There are no roads in the immediate area, but the tracks of the old Saratoga and North Creek Railway parallel the Hudson heading upstream before crossing the river on a trestle and following the Boreas River toward Tahawus.
Roblee and senior guide Noah Pooler pedaled three and a half miles north, towing three other rail bikes. When they crossed the trestle they noticed lights down below, where the DEC had just arrived on the scene.
Pooler said the possibility of using rail bikes as vehicles to extract people who had been injured or become lost in the wilderness had been considered, but this was the first time the idea had been put into practice.
Rafters told the guides they had been hiking for about six hours before being found just after midnight. “The first couple we came across were distraught, but by the end they were laughing and happy to get out of there,” Roblee said.
Rev Rail partner Ed LaScala said the company was pleased to be able to offer its services. “We want to be good stewards of that track, and we were happy to be a help,” he said. “Everyone got out in good shape.”
Revolution Rail purchased the 30-mile spur from North Creek to Tahawus at a bankruptcy court auction in late 2022, with plans to bring more recreational opportunities to the region. RevRail partner Rob Harte said those plans are still in place.
Rev Rail is keeping the line open for freight in accordance with the court settlement, but if no freight traffic materializes, the corridor could be converted into a four-season recreational trail.
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What happened that these rafters had to be rescued by rail ? Where were the rafts?
As stated in the article, they were marooned in low water on the Hudson after the rafting company mistimed a dam release ….in late summer water levels are low absent releases of reservoir waters.
thnx Jon. What Rafting Company?
Great PR for the rail bikes! Happy to see it.
First off, the dam release is on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. So on Monday, there obviously would not have been a “bubble” to ride.
This is such a teachable moment especially for an “outing club.” Two particularly lessons are always bring a physical map and bring a gps unit that has maps downloaded of the area(s) one will be in.
Awesome job to REV RAIL and the DEC for another great recover. Great to see the DEC use outside help. There are a lot of local SAR teams that are not being utilized by the DEC and soon in the future may not even exist.
This was a very well written article! I do hope you can report for some of the larger publications out there!
This is wonderful and great to see people “think out of box” and work together to help these stranded paddlers!
First off there was a release on Monday because of Labor day.
I to want to know what company?
Any commercial trip would know exactly what to do in the event you lost the bubble. I’m thinking it was a private boat with out the knowledge to run the river.
When they got to the trestle, if they had followed the tracks south/east, it was 2.5 miles to the take out. Instead they continued on until they hit the Boreas.
Please update this article to let people know that this was not a commercial trip. If it was a commercial trip shame on the company and definitely post there name as a warning to future rafters.
Big Mike, I agree.