Forest rangers do swiftwater rescue training on the Indian River in the town of Indian Lake June 17. (Provided photo — DEC)

State forest rangers in the Adirondacks assisted lost and injured hikers in Essex and St. Lawrence counties and participated in training this past week.

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Lost person

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On June 16 at 8:22 p.m., the state Department of Environmental Conservation’s Ray Brook dispatch received a call from New York State Police requesting forest ranger assistance in locating a missing 85-year-old woman from Star Lake.

A friend saw the woman enter the woods in the town of Fine, St. Lawrence County, riding her four-wheeler to check the trails on her property off the Oswegatchie trail road. When the woman didn’t return, the friend called for help.

Forest rangers and search crews located the woman’s four-wheeler and quickly found her. At approximately 12:45 a.m., the woman was evacuated by all-terrain vehicle and transported to a local hospital for medical evaluation.

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Injured hiker

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On June 17 at 3:45 p.m., Essex County 911 transferred a call to DEC’s Ray Brook dispatch reporting an 83-year-old man had fallen and injured his arm on the trail to Spectacle Pond in the Pharaoh Lake Wilderness Area, town of Schroon.

The injured man was with a friend who reported the hiker had a laceration to his right arm and that while the bleeding was under control, it was causing light-headedness.

At 5:01 p.m., Forest Ranger Arthur Perryman helped the man out of the woods. The hiker declined further medical assistance.

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Lost hikers

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On June 19 at 7:39 p.m., DEC’s Ray Brook dispatch received a call from two lost hikers in the Cranberry Lake Wild Forest, town of Clifton. The hikers were advised to call 911 to determine their position.

Initial attempts to gain the subjects’ coordinates were delayed and returned with questionable reliability. The hikers from Bath underestimated the trip to Hedgehog Pond, turned around, attempted to bushwhack as a shortcut, but instead became lost in Bear Swamp for several hours.

Forest Ranger Nathan Shea directed the hikers using their compass and headlamps back to the trail via phone. Rangers Shea and Jenna Curcio met the hikers at the Bear Mountain trailhead. St. Lawrence County 911, St. Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office, and Cranberry Lake campground staff assisted with this incident. All units were clear of the scene by 10 p.m.

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Training

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From June 16 to 18, forest rangers with DEC Region 6 assembled at Black Bear Mountain in the town of Inlet, Hamilton County, to participate in annual operations level rope rescue training. The training focuses on patient packaging for a moderate angle rescue, release hitches, component-based lowers and raises, and “hot changeovers.” A litter wheel is also incorporated into the scenarios.

On June 17, DEC Region 5 forest rangers participated in swift water rescue training on the Indian River in Hamilton County. Rangers learned about self-rescue swimming, wading with belay assist, go-rescue and “throw bag” techniques.