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, Forest Rangers locate and extract lost, injured or distressed people from the Adirondack backcountry.

What follows is a report, prepared by DEC, of recent missions carried out by Forest Rangers in the Adirondacks.

Saratoga County

Town of Corinth
Wilderness Rescue: On January 12th at 1:15 pm, Saratoga County 911 transferred a call to DEC’s Ray Brook Dispatch reporting two lost hikers on Spruce Mountain. County 911 coordinates placed the hikers near the old Spruce Mountain Road. The hikers took the incorrect trail for the summit and became disoriented along the climb. Forest Ranger Joe Hess responded to the trailhead along with three Saratoga County Sheriff’s Deputies and they began heading to the hikers’ last known coordinates. At 3:06 pm, the rescue crew located the 52-year-old mother and 13-year-old daughter from Latham and started walking the pair back to the trailhead where they were evaluated by Corinth EMS and released.

Be Prepared: Properly prepare and plan before entering the backcountry. Visit DEC’s Hiking Safety webpage and Adirondack Trail Information webpage for more information about where you intend to travel. The Adirondack Almanack reports weekly Outdoor Conditions each Thursday afternoon.