New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Forest Rangers respond to search and rescue incidents in the Adirondacks. Working with other state agencies, local emergency response organizations and volunteer search and rescue groups, Adirondack Forest Rangers locate and extract lost, injured or distressed people from the backcountry.

What follows are reports, prepared by DEC, of recent missions carried out by Forest Rangers in the Adirondacks.

Essex County

Town of Schroon
Pharoah Lake Wilderness

Lost Hunter: On December 5, 2015 at 10:47 a.m., Essex County 911 transferred a call to DEC Ray Brook Dispatch from a lost hunter. The 47-year-old man from Paradox, NY left his property that morning to hunt the surrounding lands off NYS Route 74 when he wandered off into a swamp near Alder Creek in the Crane Pond area and became disoriented. DEC Forest Rangers responded to the GPS coordinates provided by Essex County 911. Adirondack Forest Rangers located the man in good condition at 1:10 p.m. and he walked out on his own. The incident concluded at 1:45 p.m.

Town of Keene
Giant Mountain Wilderness

Lost Hikers: On December 5, 2015 at 4:57 p.m., Essex County 911 transferred a call to DEC Ray Brook Dispatch from a hiker reporting that he and two companions became lost while descending Giant Mountain. The 27-year-old man from Plattsburgh, NY and the 24-year-old and 27-year-old women from Lake George, NY veered off the main trail and followed a brook downstream. The group had no lights and could not continue. Essex County 911 provided GPS coordinates, which a DEC Forest Ranger followed. The Ranger located the hiking party at 5:42 p.m. approximately 1/4 mile up the Roaring Brook Falls Trail and escorted them back to the trailhead. The incident concluded at 6:14 p.m.

Town of Keene
Giant Mountain Wilderness

Injured Hiker: On December 6, 2015 at 12:35 p.m., Essex County 911 transferred a call to DEC Ray Brook Dispatch from an injured hiker. The 58-year-old man from Gansevoort, NY slipped on wet rocks near the middle pool of Roaring Brook Falls and sustained a lower leg injury. DEC Adirondack Forest Rangers located the injured man at 1:40 p.m. Rangers assisted him as he walked back to the trailhead. The incident concluded at 3:10 p.m.

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