Forest rangers evacuate a hiker who fell 10 feet into a pile of rocks, injuring his head and possibly spine, along the Northville Placid Trail in Blue Ridge Wilderness in the town of Indian Lake on Sept. 6. The hiker was subsequently flown to a hospital in a LifeNet helicopter. No further details were provided on the hiker’s condition. (Provided photo — New York state Department of Environmental Conservation)

Forest rangers with the state Department of Environmental Conservation responded to several rescues over the past week throughout the Adirondacks. Calls included a helicopter evacuation for head and possible spinal injuries, a search for lost hikers at night, an assist for an exhausted hiker, a rescue involving boaters after a capsize and assistance for an ankle injury.

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Emergency evacuation along Northville-Placid Trail

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On Sept. 6 at 1:40 p.m., Ray Brook Dispatch received a call from Hamilton County 911 about an SOS beacon that had been activated on the Northville Placid Trail in the Blue Ridge Wilderness in the town of Indian Lake.

A 70-year-old from Pennsylvania had fallen approximately 10 feet while transitioning from a foot bridge to the trail and landed head-first in a rock pile. A member of his hiking party was a wilderness first responder and reported head and possible spinal cord injuries. At 2:30 p.m., Forest Rangers Melissa Milano and Neilson Snye reached the subject. A total of seven rangers used a backpack litter to carry the subject 1.5 miles to Indian Lake EMS and a LifeNet helicopter, which flew the patient to the hospital. Resources were clear at 5:30 p.m. No further details were provided on the condition of the hiker.

The Northville-Placid trail is a 138-mile route that winds through some of the most desolate areas in the Adirondacks. Having beacons that can alert responders using satellites in the event of an emergency can help save lives, especially when traveling through deep wilderness.

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Stranded in the Seward Range

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On Sept. 4 at 10:15 p.m., Ray Brook Dispatch notified Forest Ranger David Corey of an overdue hiker in the Seward Mountain Range.

The hiker’s friend called to report the 23-year-old from Massachusetts was hiking alone and should have been back by 7:30 p.m. At 11:14 p.m., Ranger Joseph Ordway located the missing hiker’s vehicle at the Seward Mountain trailhead. Rangers David Corey and Evan Nahor joined the search. At 2:01 a.m., Rangers located the subject at the Calkins Brook trail. While hiking down earlier in the evening, the hiker ran out of daylight and her phone died, which was her only source for navigation and light. Rangers reached the trailhead with the hiker at 2:50 a.m.

The Seward Range consists of four High Peaks: Seward, Donaldson, Emmons and Seymour. The trails up each peak are unmarked and the mountains are considered to be some of the most isolated hikes in the state, requiring several miles of hiking from the nearest parking lot before beginning the actual ascent. Hikers should never rely on cell phones for light and/or navigation, especially in such isolated areas. While phones can be useful, in the wilderness they can lose their charge quickly. It is important to have a map and compass and know how to use them. A headlamp or other light source is also a necessity.

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Extreme exhaustion on Lower Wolfjaw Mountain

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On Sept. 7 at 11:45 a.m., Ray Brook Dispatch received a call from a hiker who could not continue hiking on Lower Wolfjaw Mountain in the town of Keene and reported extreme fatigue.

Forest Rangers Jenna Curcio and Allison Rooney reached the 22-year-old from Troy and assisted him and his hiking partner back to the road and their vehicle. Resources were clear at 3:35 p.m.

It’s important to train for a hike prior to attempting a High Peak. Starting with easier hikes and working up to the High Peaks is encouraged. If a hiker realizes the hike is more than they can handle, they should turn around and try again another day rather than pushing limits and needing to call for a rescue. Lower Wolfjaw Mountain stands at 4,177 feet and has several approaches that all become progressively steeper the closer to its summit hikers get. The terrain is rugged and includes several boulder scrambles on its south face above the col between it and Upper Wolfjaw Mountain. If contemplating turning around at any point, hikers should keep in mind that these features are often even more difficult to navigate on the descent.

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Capsized on Stillwater Reservoir

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On Sept. 8 at 11:44 a.m., Forest Ranger Patrick Lee responded to a call for four boaters in need of assistance at Stillwater Reservoir in the town of Webb. Strong winds and rough water caused the boats to fill with water and nearly capsize. A good Samaritan transported two of the subjects to shore. The remaining pair stayed with the two boats. Lee used a ranger boat to assist. The ranger boat and a passerby’s boat broke the waves and blocked the wind, allowing the two remaining boaters to make it back to the boat launch. Lee retrieved the group’s lost gear and returned it to them at the boat launch at 3 p.m.

Stillwater Reservoir is one of the largest bodies of water in the Adirondacks. Its long fetch makes it prone to rough waters, even if conditions seem relatively calm on land. Boaters should always know the body of water they are planning to be on and assess weather conditions before heading out.

Off trail in the dark on Mount Arab

On Sept. 4 at 10 p.m., New York State Police were notified about a missing hiker on the Mount Arab trail in the town of Piercefield.

Forest Rangers Will Benzel and David Corey interviewed the missing subject’s hiking companion who said the pair became separated on the way down the trail. At 11:15 p.m., Corey located the 45-year-old from Croghan. Corey and Ellis assisted the subject to an ambulance at the trailhead. Piercefield EMS warmed the subject and released her back to her hiking partner. Resources were clear at 12:32 a.m.

Mount Arab is a popular one-mile hike (each way) largely due to its fire tower offering 360-degree views of the western Adirondacks. The trail climbs 750 feet to the mountain’s 2,525 feet peak.

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Ankle injury near Mount Jo

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On Sept. 3 at 2 p.m., Ray Brook Dispatch received a call about a hiker with an ankle injury approximately three miles from the summit of Mount Jo in North Elba.

Forest Rangers Jenna Curcio, Peter Evans and Allison Rooney hiked in and assisted the 33-year-old from Canada back to his campsite where he decided to seek further medical attention on his own. Resources were clear at 4:30 p.m.