New York State DEC Called Over Hiker Lost Near State’s Highest Peak

It may be spring, but there's a lot of snow in some areas of New York state. This is especially true the higher you go up in elevation, as many peaks in the Adirondacks can still have well over a foot of snow on the ground.

Even some experienced hikers can underestimate the terrain, as well as not realizing just how cold it can get thousands of feet up. Snow can cover the ground of the state's highest peaks until late May.

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation recently was called when a hiker from New York City got lost on the state's highest mountain, during a snowstorm.

Hiker From New York City Lost In the Adirondacks 

The New York State DEC says that they received a call from a woman reporting her 33-year-old son from New York City was overdue from hiking Mount Marcy and Gray and Skylight mountains.

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At 10:28 PM the night of March 22, Forest Rangers located the subject’s vehicle at Adirondak Loj. By around 4:30 AM, rangers had completed searching the trail and campsites to Lake Colden Outpost, before heading up to climb to Four Corners.

The DEC says that they treated this as an extremely urgent matter, due to a snowstorm potentially hiding footprints or other clues to the hiker’s location,

Fifteen Rangers were sent out early in the morning, and by 8 AM, a search crew had located a single set of boot tracks near the Feldspar lean-to. The DEC says the crew followed the tracks up a trail to where the tracks went off the trail and headed towards the northwest face of Mount Marcy.

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Recovery

The DEC says that they finally found the subject at 4,000 feet in elevation, with his clothes frozen to his body.

DEC Rangers used a patient care kit to change the hiker’s wet clothing, feed him, and provide warm liquids before walking him to the trailhead where they were met by Lake Placid EMS at 3:25 PM.

The subject was taken to the hospital for treatment of hypothermia and frostbite.

See Also: Look Up! What is New York State's Highest Elevation?

The DEC says to be sure to properly prepare and plan before entering the backcountry. Visit DEC's Hike Smart NY, Adirondack Backcountry Information, and Catskill Backcountry Information webpages for more information.