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Snowshoer found dead in lean-to in Pharaoh Lakes Wilderness

State Police: no foul play suspected

SCHROON — A Florida man was found dead in a lean-to in the 44,400-acre Pharaoh Lakes Wilderness in southern Essex County on Tuesday, according to State Police. No foul play is suspected.

State Police said they were notified of a missing hiker on the Crane Pond trail around 12:30 p.m. Tuesday. That person was identified as Theodore S. Troth, 51, of The Villages, Florida.

Troth had been renting a cabin since Jan. 25 at Rowe’s Adirondack Cabins, which is located on U.S. Route 9 in the town of Schroon. Troth had been slated to check out on the morning of Feb. 24. When he didn’t, State Police said the owner became concerned. The owner checked Troth’s cabin and found it empty, at which point the authorities were notified.

Subsequent investigation determined that Troth was last seen leaving the property and had mentioned going snowshoeing five days earlier on Feb. 19.

State Police and nine forest rangers with the state Department of Environmental Conservation embarked on a coordinated search effort of the area’s trail network. State Police said that they deployed search dogs and drones while forest rangers used snowmobiles to search the terrain.

At approximately 7:32 p.m. on Tuesday, forest rangers found Troth’s body in the Oxshoe Pond lean-to, which is at the south end of Oxshoe Pond, most readily accessed from the Crane Pond trailhead. State Police said that the scene showed no signs of foul play.

Forest rangers transported the body to the Crane Pond Road trailhead, where the Essex County Coroner had arrived. The coroner ordered the removal of the body and Troth was transported to Glens Falls Hospital for an autopsy, according to State Police, who added that the date and time of the autopsy are to be determined.

The State Police investigation remains ongoing and the Oxshoe Pond lean-to is closed to the public until further notice. A DEC spokesperson said the agency offers its condolences to the hiker’s family.

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