Hikers get lost on Sleeping Beauty, Nicks Lake trail

Recent NYS DEC Forest Ranger Actions:

Town of Fort Ann
Washington County
Wilderness Rescue: On Oct. 1 at 6:53 p.m., DEC’s Ray Brook Dispatch received a request for assistance from two hikers who became disoriented while hiking Sleeping Beauty Mountain. The 65- and 69-year-old hikers from Long Island were on a trail, but were not sure which trail, as the trail markers were not the same color as the markers on their original trail. Neither hiker had headlamps, maps, food, water, or hiking equipment. At 9:40 p.m., Forest Rangers Donegan and Arnold located the couple on the trail near Bumps Pond, approximately 1.5 miles from the trailhead. The Rangers provided the hikers with jackets, food, and water before escorting them to the trailhead. Forest Rangers and the hikers were back at the trailhead at 12:20 a.m.

Town of North Elba
Essex County
Wilderness Rescue: On Oct. 3 at 1:45 p.m., DEC’s Ray Brook Dispatch was notified of a 26-year-old hiker from Brooklyn having seizures near Avalanche Pass in the Eastern High Peaks Wilderness Area. Four Forest Rangers, two Assistant Forest Rangers, and the Marcy Dam Caretaker responded to assist. At 2:12 p.m., rescuers located the hiker, performed a medical assessment, and helped them back to the trailhead. At 4:13 p.m., the hiker was turned over to Lake Placid Rescue for transport to a local hospital.

Town of Newcomb
Essex County
Wilderness Rescue: On Oct. 3 at 2:09 p.m., DEC’s Ray Brook Dispatch was notified by the Lake Colden Caretaker that she was with a 68-year-old hiker from Vermontville displaying symptoms of hypothermia. Caretaker Kelly warmed the hiker and began escorting her toward the Marcy Dam Outpost. Forest Ranger Evans met the hiker at the outpost and continued to assist her out of the woods. They reached the trailhead at 5:32 p.m.

Town of Webb
Herkimer County
Wilderness Search: On Oct. 3 at 5:09 p.m., Forest Ranger McCartney received a call from Nicks Lake Campground staff reporting two lost hikers in the vicinity of Nelson Lake Outlet in the Black River Wild Forest. The husband and wife from Chittenango set out around noon to hike the 4.7-mile Nicks Lake Loop trail, when they changed their plans and attempted to complete the Nicks Lake Outlet trail, unknowingly adding 14 miles to their hike. The couple began to realize they were in trouble around 3 p.m., but continued onward until they were off the trail and lost. They were both wet and didn’t have a source of light to help them navigate. The couple sent a photograph of a map from their smartphone showing their location near the outlet of Nelson Lake. Forest Ranger McCartney canoed downstream from the Nelson Lake trailhead on the Middle Branch of the Moose River to the vicinity of the lost hikers and made contact at 6:53 p.m. Ranger McCartney shuttled the couple across the river to shore, where they hiked the railbed back to the trailhead and met Ranger Lt. Hoag for transport back to the campground.