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Assistant forest ranger training

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From May 16 to 21 (Sunday to Friday), forest rangers held the annual one-week training for 22 assistant forest rangers at the SUNY ESF Ranger School in Wanakena. The AFRs completed courses in wilderness advanced first aid and Leave No Trace principles, and were also instructed on Environmental Conservation Law and the protection of state land. The AFRs participated in eight hours of real-life scenarios involving emergency mitigation, radio communications, public interaction and interpersonal skills. The AFRs will be assigned to backcountry areas across the state and will assist forest rangers with public outreach and education, search and rescue, and forest fire suppression.

Forest rangers use a litter wheel to carry an injured hiker from Rensselaer off Sleeping Beauty Mountain in the Lake George Wild Forest Area on Saturday, May 22. (Provided photo — DEC)

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Hiker hurt on Whiteface

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On Monday, May 17 at 2:47 p.m., DEC’s Ray Brook dispatch was contacted regarding a 21-year-old woman from Buffalo with an ankle injury on Whiteface Mountain in the town of Wilmington. Forest Rangers Robert Praczkajlo and Peter Evans responded to assist. Once on scene, Praczkajlo hiked in to the injured party and walked her out to the trailhead by 3:37 p.m. The woman declined medical treatment, stating she would seek medical attention on her own.

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Hiker passes out

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On Tuesday, May 18 at 8:15 p.m., Forest Ranger Peter Evans responded to coordinates just north of Indian Falls in the Eastern High Peaks, in the town of North Elba, for a 20-year-old woman from Troy who temporarily lost consciousness on the trail. She had regained consciousness and was being hydrated with assistance from her hiking group. Evans met the group near Indian Falls at 10:15 p.m. After providing a medical assessment and further hydration, the ranger walked the hiker to the Adirondak Loj, arriving at 12:48 a.m. The subject declined further medical care.

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Ampersand ankle injury

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On Wednesday, May 19 at 1:38 p.m., Franklin County 911 transferred a call to DEC’s Ray Brook dispatch reporting a hiker with an ankle injury near the summit of Ampersand Mountain, in the town of Harrietstown. Six forest rangers responded to assist. At 4:30 p.m., the 30-year-old hiker from Rochester was assisted off the mountain by rangers using a litter wheel system. Once back at the parking lot, the hiker advised that she would seek further medical assistance on her own. All units were clear of the incident at 4:45 p.m.

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Lost near Lincoln Pond

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On Thursday, May 20 at 6:32 p.m., DEC’s Ray Brook dispatch received a call from Essex County 911 requesting forest ranger assistance for a search for a missing 29-year-old man from Port Henry in the Lincoln Pond area, in the town of Elizabethtown. Four forest rangers, along with members of the Essex County Sheriff’s Office and New York State Police, conducted search efforts throughout the night while search plans were made for the following day. Prior to sunset, State Police Aviation flew over the search area with negative results.

On May 21 at 4 a.m., the lost man was located 5.2 miles from his last known location, tired but in good condition. He had walked logging roads and all-terrain vehicle trails to the hamlet of Westport, where he was located by State Police.

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Rope rescue training

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On Thursday, May 20 and 21, DEC Region 5 forest rangers participated in their annual rope rescue training at Prospect Mountain in the town of Lake George. This year’s training focused on low- and moderate-angle rescues using the new litter wheel system. Rangers spent two days refreshing their skills on setting anchors and patient packaging, as well as building, raising and lowering systems.

The litter wheel system has already been used on several rescues this month. All rangers in the state need to maintain at least operations-level standards set by the Mountain Rescue Association. Forest rangers have the additional opportunity to advance to the technician level to further their skill set in rope rescue.

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Sleeping Beauty roll-out

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On Saturday, May 22 at 12:30 p.m., Washington County 911 contacted DEC’s Ray Brook dispatch advising of a 28-year-old woman from Rensselaer with a non-weight-bearing ankle injury on the trail for Sleeping Beauty Mountain in the Lake George Wild Forest Area, in the town of Fort Ann. Forest Ranger Lt. Nancy Ganswindt and Rangers Mark St. Claire and Callee Baker responded.

Once on scene, the hiker was packaged into a litter by rangers and members of the West Fort Ann and Bay Ridge fire departments, along with Fort Ann emergency medical services. The hiker was transported utilizing the new litter wheel system to an all-terrain vehicle and driven to the trailhead. The injured hiker was then turned over to EMS for transport to a local hospital for medical treatment.

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Hiker found in High Peaks

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On Saturday, May 22 at 6:46 p.m., Essex County 911 transferred a call to DEC’s Ray Brook dispatch reporting a 25-year-old woman from Kinderhook missing from the Upper Works trailhead in the High Peaks Wilderness Area, in the town of Newcomb. She had last been seen by a passing hiker four hours earlier approximately four miles from the trailhead. Forest Rangers Scott Sabo Jr. and Logan Quinn responded, along with two assistant forest rangers and the Lake Colden caretaker. AFR Jackson advised that he located the missing hiker on his assigned trail sweep, and then escorted her back to the trailhead, where she was reunited with her hiking party.

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Hurt on Marcy trail

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On Saturday, May 22 at 8:44 p.m., DEC’s Ray Brook Dispatch received a call from a group at Indian Falls on the Mount Marcy trail, in the town of North Elba, reporting that a member of their party had a weight-bearing upper leg injury. The group expressed concern because they didn’t believe their light batteries would last long at the rate they were hiking. Forest Ranger Peter Evans responded along with the Marcy Dam caretaker.

After further interviewing the group, Evans was informed they had last seen the injured hiker above the Hopkins Junction trail to Marcy. One member hiked back up and located the injured hiker one mile above Indian Falls. The subject reported that he needed water but would slowly continue down the trail.

The Marcy Dam caretaker continued up the trail in their direction with supplies while Evans brought a UTV to Marcy Dam, where he would hike up behind the group. Once at Marcy Dam, the 22-year-old man from Catskill received a ride out of the woods via UTV and was reunited with the rest of his hiking group. He refused further medical assistance.