New York State Woman Falls Off Mountain, Lands in Spruce Tree

A New York state woman slipped and fell off one of the state's tallest mountains while hiking in heavy rain. Winter can be an especially dangerous time of year for hiking, as the combination of precipitation and freezing temperatures can make even a routine climb quite treacherous.

The extended darker hours can also be a factor. Recently, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation rescued two lost teenagers who had lost track of time on the McKenzie Mountain Trail.

Rescuers Save Woman Who Slipped Off Summit of Mountain and Fell Hundreds of Feet 

The New York State DEC says that they received a call on the afternoon of December 26 that a hiker slipped off the summit of South Dix Mountain.

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South Dix is a mountain located in the Adirondacks in Essex County, New York. It has an elevation of over four thousand feet.

WNYT says that the 46-year-old South Glens Falls woman slipped while hiking in pouring rain late that afternoon, However, because of the remote location and weather conditions, it would be hours before rescuers would be able to reach the woman.

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

DEC officials say they told the woman to call 911 so responders could acquire her coordinates. The DEC says that she had fallen several hundred feet down steep snow and a rockslide before grabbing a small spruce tree, which prevented her from going over a vertical cliff face.

The DEC says that the conditions were very treacherous with the combination of heavy rain, spruce tree cover, deep snow, and slippery ice. But the woman was not only in danger of injury but also potential hypothermia.

The DEC finally reached the woman at 1:30 AM provided warm liquids, food, and dry clothing, and guided the subject out of the vegetation and back to the trail.