Walking a trail: Here’s the top reason unprepared hikers need to be rescued

Ryan Mercer | New York State Team

Show Caption Hide Caption Things you should always have hiking the Adirondacks or anywhere else If you want to have fun and avoid an unpleasant ending to your hike, take a look at these ten things that are must haves for any trip into the woods.

A hiker found herself in the dark, alone and lost for a second night in a row. She lacked a basic, fairly cheap piece of equipment: a headlamp.

The night before, New York forest rangers found her in the High Peaks region of the Adirondacks after she called 911, escorted her out and gave her some friendly advice:

A headlamp would have saved her — and the rangers — a lot of trouble.

But that advice went unheeded, and there they were again earlier this fall hiking season rescuing the same woman for the second day in a row.

Forest rangers told the USA TODAY Network New York that not having a headlamp is among the most common mistakes they encounter when they are rescuing hikers in the Adirondacks and on other trails in the state.

But it's not the only problem.

Too often, hikers are simply unprepared for the rigors of the outdoors, particularly the 46 mountaintops that comprise the High Peaks that stretch across more than 300,000 acres and are as high as 5,300 feet.

Part of the problem stems from a false sense of security, rangers said.

"Cellphones now are the 21st-century Swiss Army knife," Forest Ranger Jim Giglinto said. "Everybody thinks it's going to do it all for them."

Stories of being stuck on the trails

Earlier this season, Ranger Scott Vanlaer posted a photo on Twitter of a would-be hiker checking in at the Cascade Mountain trailhead, one of the most popular destinations in the High Peaks due to its easy access and relatively short hike to the summit.

The hiker was wearing loafers.

Rangers said the photo was aimed at simply making the public aware of the preparation and proper gear needed for a hike.

Although rangers and trail stewards try to educate would-be hikers about precautionary steps, they can't stop anyone from heading into the woods.

And the dangerous stories of unprepared hikers having to be rescued are a weekly, if not daily affair, for forest rangers.

On Oct. 13, for example, rangers rescued a lost hiker near Olmstead Pond in the Five Ponds Wilderness Area in Clifton, St. Lawrence County, after they went off trail and got lost.

The hiker didn't have a trail map.

That same day, further south outside the Adirondacks in Moreau Lake State Park in Saratoga County, a group of hikers called 911.

The hikers had no map, flashlights, or gear.

They made a wrong turn in the dark and got lost. A 54-year-old woman among them stated that she didn't bring her medications for a chronic condition.

Meanwhile at the Cascade Trailhead pic.twitter.com/GIyK5YCbsk — ADK Ranger (@ScottvanLaer) August 31, 2019

Last summer in the Hudson Valley, a 25-year-old Poughkeepsie woman hiking Mount Beacon without any gear at all — headlamp or otherwise — called 911 just before 10 p.m.

She said she had asthma and did not have her medications, was distressed and lost in the dark. Rangers had to find her and escort her out.

A few days later, seven men from New Jersey called 911 while hiking Mount Colden, which is 11th highest peak in the Adirondacks and near Lake Placid.

Their cellphones were running out of power because they were using them as flashlights to see in the dark.

They were advised to stay put for the night and continue hiking out at daylight.

The next morning, they called 911 again.

The caller complained that the group was tired, cold, wet, hungry, and lacked water. When rangers got to them a short time later, three of the men were in the advanced stages of dehydration. They'd been in the woods less than two days.

One last Summit Steward shift today. Lots of ice and snow on top of Cascade and busloads, literally, unprepared for the conditions. pic.twitter.com/MybSTHzcyK — Jack Coleman (@ADKJack6237W) October 21, 2019

Giglinto, a forest ranger, said the incidents could have been easily avoided.

Many hikers who find themselves in trouble "overestimate their ability," Giglinto said.

Then they underestimate the hike they are on and do not do some basic planning, like setting a turn around time to avoid hiking after sunset.

And a cellphone light is simply not enough if a hiker is caught in the dark woods.

Giglinto and other rangers experience it frequently: Panicked hikers calls 911, and their phones are about to die, in part because they have been using the phone's flashlight.

And with daylight saving time last Saturday, Giglinto says rangers will get more and more calls from people stuck in the woods, thinking their cellphones were enough.

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The 10 essentials

Talking with the USA Today Network at the Adirondak Loj in the heart of the High Peaks, Giglinto opened his pack and pulled out a few basics.

The list is included in the New York Department of Environmental Conservation's Hike Smart must-haves, also known as the 10 essentials.

1. Headlamp

A LED headlamp with an extra set of batteries will not only last much longer than a cell phone (days or even weeks depending on weather conditions), it also provides a lot more light to see the trail.

Some models can be purchased online for as little as $10.

2. Map and compass

When your battery dies or there's no signal, a paper map, as opposed to an app on a cell phone, can come in handy.

You'll have to learn how to use them, which is a little complicated at first. But with some practice, it's easier than remembering your iTunes account password.

Giglinto also mentioned a GPS device as an option, but he isn't crazy about using them without a back-up map because they require power and, if that goes, so does your navigation.

3. First aid kit

Basic stuff like bandages, medical tape, disinfectant, over-the-counter pain relief, and items to take care of your feet like moleskin for blisters.

All are must-haves on the trail. That includes sunscreen.

4. A good knife

Like a small Leatherman type because it includes a blade. You should also bring a set of pliers, which can be very useful in the woods.

5. Fire

Waterproof matches, a fresh lighter, flint, tinder and/or a hiking camp stove and fuel.

6. Shelter

If you have to stop on the trail, a light-weight bivy (short for bivouac) can make the difference between freezing and getting well-needed rest.

Even in the summer, wind chill can push temps down into the 30s in the Adirondacks.

Add some rain, and conditions can and do get downright dangerous if you don't have the right clothing or shelter. Giglinto also recommends keeping a basic space blanket on hand — the kind you get at the end of a marathon — for extra warmth if needed.

7. Extra food

Always bring more food than you think you will need on your hike, at least an extra day's worth for a day trip.

It will come in handy if you have to spend longer in the woods than anticipated. Trail foods should be high in protein and calories and easy to eat.

8. Water

Again, have more than you need and/or a way to make more on the trail.

Purification systems such as the Sawyer Squeeze water filter are easy to use, lightweight and relatively cheap. And in the Adirondacks, there are plenty of water sources to draw from in an emergency.

9. Extra clothing

Along with proper hiking footwear — no, not sneakers or running shoes — appropriate clothing is crucial.

Bring extra layers, technical fibers (instead of cotton), enough to spend the night in the woods if needed.

Expect things to get wet: Have extra dry socks, rain gear and even a waterproof pack cover to help keep it all dry.

Especially in late summer, fall or in the spring, be prepared for freezing temperatures and snow, even when it's 80 degrees in the parking lot.

10. Planning

All of these items are great, but planning is just as important.

Familiarize yourself with the trail and the area in general, when you need to start hiking and when you need to stop.

How long is the trail? How steep? Can you handle it?

Can the hikers with you handle it? What happens if they can't or if someone gets hurt?

Good planning for your hiking trip will avoid a lot of problems.

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Ryan Mercer covers northern New York for the USA TODAY Network New York and is a staff writer at the Burlington Free Press. Reach him rmercer@freepressmedia.com or at 802-343-4169. Follow him on Twitter @ryanmercer1 and facebook.com/ryan.mercer1.