The Peru Gazette

Rangers rescue teenage with leg injury

Town of Keene, Essex County
Wilderness Rescue: On October 20 at 9:15 a.m., Ray Brook Dispatch received a call about a hiker with an unstable lower leg injury on Cascade Mountain. The 16-year-old from Mountaindale rolled their ankle just above the tree line. New York State Police (NYSP) Pilot Sergeant Beck flew Forest Ranger Lieutenant Praczkajlo and Ranger Adams to the scene. Lieutenant Praczkajlo lowered Ranger Adams down to the teenager. Ranger Adams splinted the injury and harnessed the subject. Ranger Praczkajlo performed a successful hoist. Sergeant Beck flew them to the hospital. The incident was clear at 10:09 a.m. Video of the hoist is available to download (video).

Cascade Mountain rescue

Rangers rescue hiker in shock near Marcy summit

Town of Keene
Essex County
Wilderness Rescue: On October 20 at 4:10 p.m., Essex County received a 911 text from a hiker who said they were freezing and in shock near the summit of Mount Marcy. The hiker fell, refused to move due to stress, and became hypothermic. Forest Ranger Jeffery made phone contact and explained that if they didn’t get out of the wind, they could die from hypothermia. New York State Police Pilot Sergeant Beck flew three Rangers to the scene. Forest Ranger Lieutenant Praczkajlo inserted Rangers Adams and Jeffery. Rangers warmed the subject from Schenectady and hiked them down to Marcy Dam Outpost. Ranger Jeffery provided an ATV ride to their vehicle. The incident was clear at 10 p.m.

Mount Marcy rescue 

Rangers rescue four lost hikers

Town of North Elba
Essex County
Wilderness Rescue: On October 20 at 9:04 p.m., Ray Brook Dispatch received a call about a group of four hikers lost on Mount Marcy. The 18- to 23-year-olds from New Jersey, Delaware, and Pennsylvania had been hiking Phelps Mountain and took a “short cut” across Marcy Brook, hoping to make it out before their phone and head lamp batteries died. They called 911 for help shortly before their phones died. Forest Ranger Jeffery had just finished another rescue and hiked back into the woods and located the group. Rangers Adams, Donegan, and Morehouse, had also just finished a rescue, and drove ATVs to meet the hikers and Ranger Jeffery on Truck Road. They drove the group back to their vehicle at the Adirondak Loj trailhead. The incident was clear at 10:42 p.m.

Ranger contain illegal campfire

Village of Tupper Lake
Franklin County
Wildland Fire: On October 21, Forest Rangers Engel and Jansen responded to a call for a fire on the Piercefield Flow. Rangers and the Tupper Lake Fire Department contained the 375-square-foot fire. The cause of the fire was an illegal campfire.

Tupper Lake fire

Rangers rescue hiker trapped on a ledge

Town of Keene
Essex County
Wilderness Rescue: On October 21 at 6:22 p.m., Ray Brook Dispatch received a satellite beacon activation from the upper north edge of the slide that serves as the exit route to the Mount Colden Trap Dike. The 60-year-old from Canada was stranded on the slide, approximately seven feet from its forested edge. He was on a ledge approximately one foot by three feet that had iced over. While trying to put on crampons, he dropped and lost them. He stood on the ledge for seven hours trying not to fall and not knowing if the beacon worked. At 1:16 a.m., Forest Rangers reached him and started assembling a high angle rope rescue. Ranger Jeffery belayed a Ranger with a backup belay from Rangers Engel and Jansen to help transition the rescuer and subject to the vegetated edge. Once in the forest, they began a grueling bushwhack toward the summit and trail. They descended to Marcy Dam Outpost where they met Rangers Holdridge and Quinn before using ATVs to exit to the trailhead. The incident was clear at 8 a.m. An interview with Rangers Curcio and Jeffery is available to download (video). An interview with the hiker, Eric Le Bourhis, is available to download(video).

Town of Indian Lake
Hamilton County
Water Search: On October 21 at 7:14 p.m., Hamilton County 911 received a call reporting a spouse overdue while fishing at Mud Pond. An app placed the 62-year-old in the middle of the pond. Forest Rangers Miller, Morehouse, and Nahor located the subject on the pond and assisted them to shore. Aside from being cold, the angler didn’t have any other medical issues. Long Lake Ambulance did a patient assessment. The incident was clear at 9:15 p.m.

Rangers extinguish 21-acre fire

Town of Indian Lake
Hamilton County
Wildland Fire: On October 24 at 8:30 p.m., Warren County called Ray Brook Dispatch about a fire spotted from the Indian Lake Overlook, likely east of Center Pond. Four Forest Rangers and Indian Lake Fire Department responded. The fire was estimated at 21 acres. Firefighters worked into the night. At 2:30 a.m., fire crews had the fire under control.

Indian Lake Fire

Rangers find overdue hunter

Town of Brasher
St. Lawrence County
Wilderness Search: On October 24 at 9 p.m., Ray Brook Dispatch received a call from St. Lawrence County 911 requesting Forest Ranger assistance with the search for an overdue hunter on Brasher State Forest. The 38-year-old hunter from Potsdam was expected home by 6:30 p.m. Family called 911. Rangers Ellis and Hanno joined New York State Police, U.S. Border Patrol, and the Helena Fire Department in the search. Fire Department UTVs and a drone operator conducted linear searches. At 11:10 p.m., the hunter called 911. Rescuers used the coordinates from the 911 call and located the hunter at 11:30 p.m. The incident was clear at 12:26 a.m.

Rangers rescue tow hikers stuck on Mount Colden

Town of Keene
Essex County
Wilderness Rescue: On October 25 at 10:56 a.m., Forest Rangers responded to a call for two subjects stuck on Mount Colden above the Trap Dike. At 1 p.m., New York State Police Pilot Engel flew Ranger Lieutenant Praczkajlo, Rangers Jeffery and Martin, and a climbing volunteer to the entrance of the Trap Dike. Rescuers hiked to the two subjects. By 5 p.m., the rescuers and two hikers from Paul Smiths were clear of the Trap Dike and hiking out to Marcy Dam. Rangers assisted the hikers out of the woods and to their vehicle. The incident was clear at 6:55 p.m.

October 25 Trap Dike rescue

October 25 Trap Dike rescue

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.