Wilderness Rescue: On September 29 at 8:25 p.m., Ray Brook Dispatch received a call from a hiker reporting their hiking partner missing on the Van Ho Trail. Forest Rangers Curcio and Foutch spoke to the caller at the Adirondak Loj and learned that the two separated at Indian Falls. The caller turned back while the partner continued to the summit of Mount Marcy. Rangers learned a pair of hikers saw the 30-year-old from Walworth at the summit but did not see the hiker again on the Van Ho Trail. Ranger Curcio searched the Marcy Dam truck trail and Ranger Foutch searched the Van Ho trail from the Loj parking lot. Just before reaching Marcy Dam, Ranger Foutch encountered the subject and a good Samaritan hiking out. The good Samaritan located the lost hiker in the woods in the dark near Indian Falls. Rangers escorted the hikers to Marcy Dam. The incident was clear at 11:35 p.m.

Town of Santa Clara
Franklin County
Wildland Fire: On October 3 at 12:16 p.m., Ray Brook Dispatch received a call about a wildland fire on Horseshoe Pond in the Saint Regis Canoe Area. Forest Ranger Ordway determined the fire was less than an acre. Ranger Ordawy used hand tools and by 7:14 p.m., declared the fire extinguished.

Horseshoe Pond fire 

Town of Keene
Essex County
Wilderness Rescue: On October 3 at 2:02 p.m., Ray Brook Dispatch received a call from a stranded hiker at the climbing area above Chapel Pond. The hiker planned to hike Giant Mountain but started on the wrong side of the road and accidentally began hiking towards a climbing area. At 4:22 p.m., Rangers reached the hiker and assisted them out of the woods.

Town of Keene
Essex County
Wilderness Rescue: On October 3 at 4:30 p.m., Ray Brook Dispatch received a call regarding a hiker at the summit of Big Slide Mountain who was vomiting, shaky, having trouble breathing, and couldn’t move. New York State Police (NYSP) Pilot Engel flew Forest Rangers Curcio and Ezumah to the scene. Ranger Curcio lowered Ranger Ezumah to the 23-year-old subject. Ranger Ezumah harnessed the hiker, and Ranger Curcio successfully hoisted the patient into the helicopter. NYSP Pilot Engel flew them to the Lake Placid Airport where they met a Lake Placid Ambulance. The incident was clear at 6:10 p.m.

Big Slide rescue

Town of Keene
Essex County
Wilderness Rescue: On October 3 at 10:23 p.m., Forest Rangers Ezumah and Foutch responded to a call for two hikers who became separated while hiking the Great Range. Ranger Foutch spoke to one of the hikers at the trailhead, but the other was still on the W.A. White Trail and didn’t have a headlamp. Rangers located the 33-year-old and assisted them back to the trailhead. The incident was clear at 7 a.m.

Town of North Elba
Essex County
Wilderness Rescue: On October 4 at 7:02 a.m., Ray Brook Dispatch received an SOS beacon activation on Mount Jo. The subject appeared to be approximately 25 feet off the trail. Ray Brook Dispatch texted with the subject who said they were having a heart attack. Assistant Forest Ranger Hodgson, Rangers Curcio, Foutch, Quinn, Lieutenant LaPierre, and Lake Placid EMS assessed and treated the 48-year-old from Pennsylvania. They carried the patient to the trailhead where they were met by a Lake Placid Ambulance, which transported the subject to a Life Net helicopter. The incident was clear at 10:23 p.m.

Mount Jo rescue 

Town of Harrietstown
Franklin County
Wilderness Rescue: On October 4 at 11:36 a.m., Ray Brook Dispatch received a call for a hiker with a knee injury near the summit of Seymour Mountain. Forest Ranger Curcio spoke to the 18-year-old from Massachusetts and determined the injury was non-weight bearing. New York State Police (NYSP) Pilot Sergeant Beck flew Rangers Curcio and Ezumah to the scene. Ranger Curcio lowered Ranger Ezumah to the subject. Ranger Ezumah splinted the injury and harnessed the patient. Ranger Curcio successfully hoisted the patient into the helicopter and NYSP Pilot Sergeant Beck flew them to the hospital. The incident was clear at 12:53 p.m.

Seymour Mountain Rescue

Town of Minerva
Essex County
Wilderness Search: On October 4 at 1:04 p.m., Forest Ranger Jeffery was off duty and paddling in the Hudson River Gorge when he came across an individual separated from their group on the Blue Ledges Trail. Ranger Jeffery and the 41-year-old from Lima searched and located the group. Ranger Jefferey hiked with them out to Northwoods Club Road and met up with additional Rangers, who then escorted the subject back to their vehicle. The incident was clear at 2:25 p.m.

Town of Moira
Franklin County
Wilderness Search: On October 4 at 8:31 p.m., Ray Brook Dispatch received a call from an ATV rider lost behind their residence. Cell phone coordinates placed the subject between Sayles Road and Broad Road north of the Little Salmon River. At 10:27 p.m., Forest Ranger Russell located the subject and escorted them out of the woods.

Town of St. Armand
Franklin County
Motor Vehicle Accident: On October 5, Forest Ranger Captain Booth responded to a motor vehicle accident and determined the driver was in cardiac arrest. Captain Booth began CPR, applied an AED. The patient regained a pulse and respirations. Saranac Lake Rescue Squad transported the patient to the hospital. New York State Police, including an off-duty Trooper, and other Rangers assisted.

Be sure to properly prepare and plan before entering the backcountry. Visit DEC’s “Hike Smart NY,” “Adirondack Backcountry,” 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, 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.