Courtesy Photo | Map showing the trail system that goes through Letchworth State Park, New York, which...... read more read more
MOUNT MORRIS, N.Y. (Oct. 11, 2023) – Two members of the team at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Mount Morris Dam responded to a call from an elderly hiker who had wondered off path and was lost amongst the 4,000 acres of the Mount Morris Recreation Area late in the evening Oct. 11, 2023.
Steve Winslow, USACE Mount Morris Dam Manger, took the call from the hiker who had set out on the Finger Lakes Trail, assessed the urgency of the call, and enlisted the assistance of Park Ranger Juliana Smith before jumping into action.
The 25 mile long trail runs through Letchworth State Park and offers gorge scenery, waterfalls and cliffs as high as 600 feet. The only equal of its beauty is the dangerous conditions for even the most prepared hiker.
“He said he was lost on the trail and started describing features around him hoping we could talk him out to the trail,” said Winslow. “The more I spoke to him, the more I realized he didn’t have a good idea of where he really was in relationship to anything we could direct him to.”
That day, rain was falling as were the temperatures in the low 50s. Steve understood that if the hiker wasn’t found before dark, the situation would become much worse for the hiker and those who were looking for him.
It was later discovered that the 71 year old hiker had lost their sense of direction and ended up on a side trail, which had become covered in leaves, adding to the confusion and disorientation.
Winslow, familiar with the trail and had a good idea of the general area the hiker was in and working with local police and rescue personnel decided it was time to act.
“I gathered up as much info from him as I could because his cell phone could die at any time and we didn’t want to lose signal,” said Winslow.
Information on the hiker – full name, what clothes they were wearing, the make and model of their car – was gathered and passed on to the New York State Police. The most critical information, passed on by the police to Winslow, was the cell phone activity which helped narrow down the hikers location.
Winslow and Smith then began combing the area they believed the hiker was in from opposite sides, all the while receiving updates on the hiker’s location from the police.
After an hour of searching the trail, Winslow found the hiker unharmed and in good shape. They then led him to the nearest trail head a few miles away.
“It was pretty remote,” said Winslow. “If he kept going, it would have been about 8 or 9 miles before he came across anything and it would have been dark by then. It was good we got him back to the trail.”
In total, the hiker walked almost 11 miles when he only meant to hike two. Winslow and Smith each covered six miles in their efforts to locate the hiker.
LTC Lyle Milliman, deputy commander for the USACE Buffalo District, praised the two for their quick thinking and jumping right into action.
“As an Army veteran, Steve exemplifies what it means to be a Soldier for life. He was able to apply his military training and experience to save a life. Steve is an invaluable contributor to our organization and to the community he serves,” said Milliman.
Milliman continued, “Juliana’s quick thinking to join Steve in setting up and executing their plan prevented the situation from getting any worse. A person got to go home safe and sound because of them.”
Winslow emphasized the importance of always putting safety first and being prepared before setting out into any situation.
“Everyone should remember to be cognizant of conditions and dress appropriately. Tell someone where you are going and what your plans are and pack items that will prepare you for any situation” said Winslow.
| Date Taken: | 10.30.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 10.30.2023 13:55 |
| Story ID: | 456790 |
| Location: | MOUNT MORRIS, NEW YORK, US |
| Web Views: | 235 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Rangers Rescue Lost Hiker, by Ryan Campbell, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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