For more than a century, Forest Rangers in New York State have been there whenever help was needed. These brave men and women are trained in first aid, land navigation, and technical rescue techniques. These skills are often needed especially if someone needs help in a remote wilderness area or rugged terrain. The seasons can also make some rescues even more dangerous.
According to the NYSDEC, last week forest rangers received a 911 call about a missing hiker who was not prepared to be outside overnight. After hiking up the Woodland Valley trail in the Town of Shandaken, the rangers made voice contact with the 28 year-old hiker from Hastings-On-Hudson around 3 am.
The hiker ran out of daylight on his way down and planned to use his cellphone light to get out of the woods, but he lost the trail and in the darkness fell over a five foot ledge injuring his knee. The rangers gave him food and water and with their lights helped the hiker down and arrived at the Trailhead around 5 am.
photos: Getty