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Anybody see this one from the most recent Rangers Report? I wonder exactly how much of a factor the added mileage was. They were 6.5 miles from the Garden and 9.5 miles from their car when the rescue call came in. Even without the extra road walk to start the day they still would have been deep in the backcountry when their troubles began. Perhaps close enough to JBL to stumble there on their own? Who knows? Either way the loss of the shuttle this year claimed a few victims who bit off far more than they could chew.
Town of Keene
Essex County
Wilderness Rescue: On July 15 at 8:23 p.m., DEC’s Ray Brook Dispatch received a radio transmission from Johns Brook Lodge (JBL) reporting a 36-year-old male hiker from Watervliet suffering from dizziness, fatigue, and struggling to walk approximately 3.5 miles up the trail at an intersection known as Shorty Shortcut. A member of the man’s hiking party went down the mountain to report his illness and request assistance. He also reported that one of the two people with the man was a nurse. Forest Ranger Rob Praczkajlo responded and determined the group would likely reach JBL by midnight at the earliest. In response, the Ranger took an ATV into the Johns Brook Outpost where he met with one of the hiker’s companions and the ADK Johns Brook Caretaker who told him the general location of the ill hiker on the trail. Ranger Praczkajlo proceeded in on foot and located the hiker near Bushnell Falls at 1 a.m. After resting, receiving water, food, and a headlamp, the ill hiker and his companions slowly made their way down to JBL, arriving at 2:30 a.m. Once at JBL, Ranger Praczkajlo stayed with two hikers too exhausted to continue hiking out to their vehicle and requested an ATV and Ranger to safely escort the pair back to the trailhead. Earlier that day, the hikers parked three miles away in the Hamlet of Keene Valley because the Garden lot was full. The hikers underestimated the additional effort required to hike the added distance.
Town of Keene
Essex County
Wilderness Rescue: On July 15 at 8:23 p.m., DEC’s Ray Brook Dispatch received a radio transmission from Johns Brook Lodge (JBL) reporting a 36-year-old male hiker from Watervliet suffering from dizziness, fatigue, and struggling to walk approximately 3.5 miles up the trail at an intersection known as Shorty Shortcut. A member of the man’s hiking party went down the mountain to report his illness and request assistance. He also reported that one of the two people with the man was a nurse. Forest Ranger Rob Praczkajlo responded and determined the group would likely reach JBL by midnight at the earliest. In response, the Ranger took an ATV into the Johns Brook Outpost where he met with one of the hiker’s companions and the ADK Johns Brook Caretaker who told him the general location of the ill hiker on the trail. Ranger Praczkajlo proceeded in on foot and located the hiker near Bushnell Falls at 1 a.m. After resting, receiving water, food, and a headlamp, the ill hiker and his companions slowly made their way down to JBL, arriving at 2:30 a.m. Once at JBL, Ranger Praczkajlo stayed with two hikers too exhausted to continue hiking out to their vehicle and requested an ATV and Ranger to safely escort the pair back to the trailhead. Earlier that day, the hikers parked three miles away in the Hamlet of Keene Valley because the Garden lot was full. The hikers underestimated the additional effort required to hike the added distance.
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