New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) forest rangers carried out several wilderness rescues across the Adirondack region last week, responding to incidents involving injured and lost hikers.
In Warren County, rangers assisted a 34-year-old hiker who sustained a leg injury while on Prospect Mountain. After stabilizing the injury with a splint, rangers transported the individual down the trail using a wheeled litter system secured with a belay rope.
Later the same day, rangers responded to a dropped 911 call reporting a 42-year-old hiker lost on Crane Mountain with their dog. A search team located tracks and followed the sound of barking to find the hiker and dog stranded on a ledge along a steep slope. Both were safely escorted down the mountain and were reported to be in good health.
Earlier in the week, a 41-year-old hiker was found on the Dead Creek Trail in the Cranberry Lake Wild Forest showing symptoms of hypothermia and dehydration. Forest rangers built a campfire to warm the individual and then transported them by boat to the trailhead. The hiker was later taken to a hospital for further evaluation.
Rangers also assisted a dehydrated hiker near the summit of Mount Haystack in Essex County. The hiker was treated on-site with food, water, and electrolytes.
The DEC continues to remind hikers to be prepared for changing conditions and to carry adequate food, water, and emergency supplies when venturing into remote areas.
