New York State Forest Rangers responded to another Adirondack Rail Trail snowmobile accident this past week, and three wilderness rescues. During one of the rescues a State Police helicopter hoisted a hiker off Phelps Mountain having a medical emergency; two other missions involved unprepared hikers in the Catskills.
On Friday, February 14th at about 1:30 pm, Forest Rangers Corey and Ordway responded to a call for a snowmobile accident at Little Rainbow Pond on the Adirondack Rail Trail.
At about 1:40 pm, Rangers arrived at the scene in the town of Santa Clara, in Franklin County, and brought a Saranac Lake Paramedic to the patient.
The 38-year-old snowmobiler from Mooers indicated she hit a large depression in the trail and lost control, causing the snowmobile to roll and land on top of her.
The patient reported an unstable ankle injury and shoulder pain. Rescuers secured the subject in a rescue sled and transported her to an awaiting ambulance.
On February 1st 39-year-old Steven J. Fernandez of Saddlebrook, New Jersey, was killed when the 2024 Polaris 650 snowmobile he was operating on the Adirondack Rail Trail in Franklin County lost control, exited the trail, and went down a steep embankment, striking multiple trees.
You can read more about that accident here.
Another snowmobiler was killed last week in a 3 am five-snowmobile accident on Fourth Lake in the town of Webb. That story is here.
On Saturday, February 15th, at about 11:40 am, Ray Brook Dispatch received a call from a hiker stating her partner was having a medical emergency while descending Phelps Mountain in the High Peaks Wilderness in the town of North Elba, Essex County.
Forest Rangers Bowler, Lewis, Martin, and Praczkajlo responded. Due to the location and the patient’s condition, at about 12:15 pm New York State Police (NYSP) Aviation responded to assist Rangers with a hoist rescue.
NYSP Pilot Engel and Ranger O’Connor lowered Ranger Adams to the subject. Ranger Adams harnessed the 54-year-old from Quebec and at about 2:10 pm, the patient was hoisted into the helicopter and transported to Adirondack Medical Center.
Rangers assisted the rest of the hiking party back to the trailhead.
On Sunday,February 16th at about 2:15 pm, Forest Ranger Martin responded to a radio call for a no-voice 911 call from Red Hill Road in the town of Denning, Ulster County.
Ranger Martin checked the access point for Red Hill fire tower and located a car parked on Denning Road. Ranger Schweider hiked up the Old Dinch Road access point while Ranger Martin hiked up from Denning Road.
At about 3 pm, Ranger Martin located the hikers from New York City returning to the parking area on the blue trail.
They had called 911 because they were concerned about the weather and getting frostbite since they were not wearing proper winter gear. When the 911 call didn’t go through, they continued hiking down to their car.
On Monday, February 17 at about 5:50 pm, Greene County called Ray Brook Dispatch requesting Forest Ranger assistance with two subjects stuck on the ice at lower falls of Kaaterskill Falls in the Catskills town of Hunter.
At 6:40 p.m., Rangers Commerford, Fox, and Peterson reached the two hikers. This was the first time the two graduate students ever hiked there. They didn’t have a light source, proper winter gear, or traction devices for their boots. Rangers provided traction devices and head lamps and educated them on the hiking essentials (PDF) while walking them back to their vehicle. Resources were clear at 7:30 p.m.
Read about past Forest Ranger missions here.
Photo of Phelps Mountain hoist rescue provided by DEC.
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