Ranger report: Boat adrift leaves campers stranded

Recent DEC Forest Ranger actions

Town of Indian Lake
Hamilton County
Wilderness Rescue: On June 12 at 7:20 p.m., Hamilton County 911 transferred a call to DEC’s Ray Brook Dispatch reporting stranded boaters camping on Indian Lake Islands. The campers were shuttling others from the boat launch to the island when the boat broke free of shore and floated away. Forest Ranger Jason Scott responded to assist. When the Ranger arrived on scene, he found one camper at the boat launch waiting to be picked up who was unaware of the situation. Ranger Scott gave the subject a courtesy ride to the island and assisted the campers trying to locate the vessel. Unable to recover the aluminum boat, the group decided to remain on the island for the evening and contact a friend the next day to bring them back to shore and help locate the drifting boat. At 9:54 p.m., Ranger Scott was back on shore.

Town of North Hudson
Essex County
Wilderness Rescue: On June 7 at 1:12 a.m., DEC’s Central Dispatch received a call from New York State Police (NYSP) advising that they received a call from a group of lost hikers. The hikers’ coordinates placed them on the Beckhorn Peak heading toward Hough Mountain. Forest Rangers Andrew Lewis and Logan Quinn responded and headed into the woods at 3:30 a.m. Forest Rangers located the group of four hikers from East Schodack at 9:16 a.m., gave them a preliminary medical check, and began escorting them down the mountain. After one of the hikers exhibited signs of exhaustion, Rangers Lewis and Quinn gave the hiker something to eat and drink and time to warm up and rest. When the group reached the base of the mountain, they were met by Forest Rangers Art Perryman and Lt. Brian Dubay and driven to the trail head. At 5:25 p.m., the hiking party and Rangers were out of the woods.

Town of Keene
Essex County
Wilderness Rescue: On June 9 at 4:19 p.m., DEC’s Ray Brook Dispatch received a call from the AuSable Club guard shack about a hiker in distress. The reporting party, another hiker, reported a 22-year-old man from Oneonta was laying down on the trail, conscious but unable to continue due to exhaustion and possible dehydration. Forest Ranger Kevin Burns responded to the AuSable Club and met with the reporting party. Together, they continued by vehicle down the Lake Road to the entrance of the Beaver Meadow Falls Trail where they found the hiker walking down the road. After an assessment, the hiker was transported by Ranger Burns back to his vehicle where he advised he would seek medical attention on his own.

Town of Keene
Essex County
Wilderness Rescue: On June 10 at 1:46 p.m., DEC’s Ray Brook Dispatch received a radio transmission from Johns Brook Outpost advising that a hiker had stopped to report a man injured on the trail going up Big Slide Mountain. Forest Ranger Lt. Julie Harjung requested New York State Police Aviation to assist with the rescue. At 2:12 p.m., Essex County 911 transferred a call to Dispatch from a member of the hiking party. The hikers reported that the 50-year-old man from Ballston Lake had slipped on a rock while hiking down the Slide Brook trail and suffered a non-weight bearing injury to his right leg. Per Lt. Harjung, Forest Ranger Chris DiCintio was flown to the Johns Brook Outpost while additional Rangers remained at Marcy field in case of a carry out rescue. Once at the outpost, Ranger DiCintio hiked up the trail where he located the injured hiker. After splinting the man’s leg, Ranger DiCintio helped move the subject to a suitable location for helicopter retrieval. Once the hiker was hoisted into the helicopter, he was flown to Marcy field where he was turned over to Keene Valley EMS and transported to a local hospital.