NEWS
Local Forest Ranger News - Two Hikers Rescued
Town of Hunter
Greene County
Wilderness Search: On Sept. 15 at 7:45 p.m., Greene County 911 contacted DEC's Central Dispatch requesting Forest Ranger assistance with a 30-year-old man from Saugerties lost near the Prediger Road trailhead in the Indian Head Wilderness. Rangers Fox and Gullen responded, joining a Hunter Police patrol and NYSP Officer at the trailhead. Rangers bushwhacked toward cell phone coordinates collected by Greene County 911. Rangers located the hiker, provided him with a flashlight, and escorted him back to his vehicle. Resources were clear of the scene at 10:15 p.m.
Town of Shandaken
Ulster County
Wilderness Search: On Sept. 19 at 10:10 p.m., Ulster County contacted DEC's Central Dispatch reporting a 69-year-old overdue hiker from Pine Plains on Wittenberg Mountain in the Slide Wilderness Area. Rangers Martin and Franceschina responded with State Police, Shandaken Police, Ulster Emergency Management, New York City Department of Environmental Protection, Phoenicia FD, and Shandaken Ambulance. The missing hiker was last seen by his family at the intersection of the Wittenberg and Terrace Mountain trails. Ranger Russell located the hiker, uninjured, approximately one mile from the trailhead. The hiker stated he had taken the trail to Terrace Mountain and, after realizing his mistake, returned to the red trail to rest from fatigue. Ranger Martin assisted him out of the woods and resources were clear at 1:40 a.m.