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It’s been a busy
summer for Forest Rangers with the Department of Environmental
Conservation's Region Five.
Rangers have handled
more than two dozen search and rescue calls around the region.
Here’s some of the
most recent incidents they’ve been dealing with, based on a DEC
report issued Friday. For the full report, click
here.
On Thursday, July 24,
2008, at approximately 3:54 p.m, DEC Dispatch received a call from
State Police reporting the location of a missing person’s vehicle on
North Point Road near Long Lake. 45 year-old Barry Burne of Lake
George had been missing for three days. A State Police K-9 Unit was
initially used to search the immediate area but turned up no sign of
the subject. A DEC Forest Ranger, State Police and Hamilton County
Sheriff’s Deputies searched a nearby area but were unable to located
Mr. Burne. Ten more forest rangers joined the search effort that
resumed at 7:30 a.m. the following morning. Burne was located at
10:10 a.m. walking down North Point Road a quarter of a mile from
his vehicle. He reported that he had gotten lost on a walk and,
spent two days and nights in the woods. Burne was transported to a
hospital for evaluation.
On Saturday, July 26,
at approximately 2:43 p.m., DEC dispatch received a call from the
Ausable Club Gate House in St. Huberts reporting that a 15 year-old
male and a 17 year-old female missing from their hiking group.
Rangers responded and learned that the two teenagers had hiked ahead
and become separated from the rest of the group while heading to
Gothics Mountain. The situation was worsened when the group leaders
decided to change their destination to Wolfjaw Mountain. One leader
attempted to catch up to the two teens but was unsuccessful and
returned to the gate house to report them missing. DEC Forest
Rangers and an Assistant Forest Ranger searched multiple trails in
the area. The two teens were located by a forest ranger on the
trail to Gothics Mountain. They were escorted back to the
trailhead. Meanwhile, the rest of the group was also being escorted
back to the trail head when a counselor, 47 year-old Tina Jones,
slipped and injured her wrist. An assistant forest ranger splinted
her wrist and all members of the group were reunited at the trail
head at approximately 6:15 p.m. Forest rangers lectured the group
about the importance of staying together while hiking.
Last Tuesday, July
29, at approximately 9:20 p.m. DEC dispatch received a call from the
wife of 42 year-old Doug McKenzie of Keeseville, stating he was over
due from a hike on Dix Mountain. A DEC Forest Ranger, returning
from a rescue operation on Algonquin Peak, stopped at the Elk Lake
trail head and located Mr. McKenzie’s vehicle. The forest ranger
headed up the trail towards Dix Mountain when he encountered a group
of hikers who reported seeing Mr. McKenzie on East Dix Mountain
heading for Dix Mountain at 3 PM that afternoon. The forest ranger
continued up Dix Mountain but was unable to locate Mr. McKenzie. At
approximately 4:30 a.m. the forest ranger request additional rangers
to join the search. While the other rangers were responding, Mr.
Mckenize’s wife reported that he had returned home. She stated that
he ran out of light and spent the night just off the trail near
Slide Brook, in the morning he walked out and returned home at
approximately 8 a.m.
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