CRANBERRY LAKE — State Department of Environmental Conservation forest rangers rescued a hiker in the St. Lawrence County town of Clifton with two airboats this month.

On Tuesday, Dec. 17 at 8:48 p.m., DEC dispatch received a report from St. Lawrence County 911 of a distress signal from an InReach emergency beacon in the Five Ponds Wilderness Area at Cat Mountain Pond.

Because of the remote location and winter conditions, Forest Ranger Nathan Shea hiked in from the Dead Creek trailhead while nine other forest rangers responded to the location from the SUNY ESF Ranger School beachfront area, using two airboats.

Shea found the 38-year-old male hiker from West Point at 1:57 a.m., using the coordinates given by 911 dispatch. The hiker said he had left Cranberry Lake at 5 a.m. and attempted to hike the Cranberry Lake 50 trail, but he was not fully prepared for the hike and did not have winter-weight boots or enough food. Shea warmed the hiker, gave him fluids and food, and they began walking out to meet the rest of the search party.

At 3:07 a.m., forest rangers met Shea and the hiker between the Cat Mountain junction and Cat Mountain Pond. The group hiked to Janacks Landing and were evacuated by airboat back to the ranger school.

The hiker declined medical care and was transported by family members to a hotel in Tupper Lake. All units were back in service at 4:45 a.m. on Dec. 18.