Darkness catches lost hikers unawares

Forest rangers rescue several parties on trails without proper lights

With shorter days, state forest rangers are starting to rescue hikers caught in the woods after dark without headlamps or flashlights.

That’s what happened at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 9, when Greene County 911 contacted forest rangers for assistance with two lost hikers from Brooklyn at Kaaterskill High Peak. The hikers were on an ambitious day hike covering 12 miles, leaving them out without headlamps after dark. As the rangers hiked in, they received calls about two other hiking groups needing assistance on the Becker Hollow trail at Hunter Mountain and on the Long Path near Platte Clove Road, also due to darkness and lack of flashlights or headlamps.

One group of rangers started to bushwhack, or go off trail, to locate the Brooklyn hikers about a mile in on the trail.

One ranger brought the group out while another went to the other hiking groups. One group found on the Long Path hiked out with the use of cellphone lights. As other rangers headed toward Becker Hollow, those lost hikers emerged from the woods. All three searches ended at 9:15 p.m.

Also in Greene County at 6:10 p.m. Oct. 10, dispatchers requested assistance at Kaaterskill Falls for a report of a 40-year-old hiker with a head injury. A ranger located the hiker, provided first aid and assisted the person to the trailhead. The hiker declined additional medical care.

At 4:20 p.m. Oct. 11, hikers called Greene County 911 to request medical assistance for a 70-year-old hiker with a heartrelated problem 2 miles in on the Huckleberry Point Trail.

Rangers and rescue teams reached the hiker, who walked out to a utility vehicle. The hiker declined further medical attention.