Ranger Report

Forest rangers with the New York State Department pf Environmental Conservation responded to two snowmobile crashes, both with injuries, and a dehydrated hiker in the Adirondacks last week.

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Town of Webb

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On Monday, Feb. 3 at 2:30 p.m., Forest Ranger Matthew Savarie overheard radio communications from Herkimer County 911 about a snowmobile crash with injuries. A short time later, Chief Ron Johnston of the Town of Webb Police Department requested forest ranger assistance.

Savarie and fellow Forest Ranger Brandon Poulton responded to the accident location, where a 50-year-old man from Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, had lost control of his snowmobile and was ejected into a tree. The first-time snowmobiler suffered multiple injuries and was kept comfortable by Savarie and Poulton until Big Moose emergency medical services arrived. The subject was transported by Mercy Flight to a hospital in Syracuse for further treatment.

Forest rangers waited at the location until the snowmobile towing service arrived and were cleared of the scene at approximately 6 p.m.

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Town of Long Lake

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On Feb. 5 at 4:59 p.m., DEC’s Ray Brook Dispatch received a call from Hamilton County 911 reporting that Long Lake EMS was responding to a snowmobile accident on state land. The snowmobiler struck a tree behind a home just outside of Long Lake.

Forest Ranger Jason Scott responded and found that the 48-year-old man from Ballston Spa was out of the woods and being treated by Long Lake EMS. Scott remained at the location to assist State Police with the accident report.

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Town of Keene

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On Feb. 6 at 3:29 p.m., a call came into DEC’s Ray Brook Dispatch from inReach GPS services reporting a distress signal from a group of hikers on the Phelps Mountain trail in the High Peaks Wilderness, including a 61-year-old male hiker from Brooklyn who was vomiting from severe dehydration.

The hikers had managed to make it slowly down to the Slant Rock lean-to, where they started a fire, warmed up and changed into dry clothes. The hiking party was requesting assistance in getting back to their camp at Peggy-O Cabin.

Forest Rangers Kevin Burns, Peter Evans, James Giglinto, Jamison Martin, Robbi Mecus, Art Perryman, Rob Praczkajlo, Scott Sabo and Mark St. Claire responded with snowmobiles and a UTV for quicker access into Johns Brook Lodge, which brought them closer to the ill hiker. At 6:45 p.m., rangers assisted the hiker to a waiting ambulance. At 10:18 p.m., the hiker was transported by a Keene Valley ambulance to a local hospital for treatment of hypothermia and dehydration.