A tragic accident claimed the life of a 21-year-old hiker who fell from a trail near Mount Marcy’s peak, the highest point in New York, as reported by local authorities.
The Adirondack Daily Enterprise shared that the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) confirmed the individual, hailing from New Jersey, was discovered deceased close to the summit on Thursday evening.
The hiker’s identity, including name and gender, remains undisclosed by officials.
While the NYSDEC has yet to comment to Fox News Digital, a representative informed the Adirondack Daily Enterprise that the hiker managed to call 911 at 3:05 p.m., reporting a slip that left them unable to return to the path.
Mount Marcy, photographed on a spring evening after a summit ski on June 5, 2017. (Kevstewa/Istock/Getty Images Plus)
The hiker was accompanied by a dog, though it is unclear if others were present or what specifically led to the fall.
Two forest rangers tried to locate the hiker from a State Police helicopter, but heavy cloud cover around Mount Marcy’s summit prevented them from making visual contact, a NYSDEC spokesperson told the outlet.
A 360-degree view is seen from the summit of Mount Marcy, the highest peak in the Adirondacks and New York state on Nov. 9, 2016. (Timothy Frazier/Istock/Getty Images Plus)
Around 6:06 p.m., one of the rangers was dropped at the Marcy Dam Outpost — roughly 5 miles from and nearly 3,000 feet below the summit — to begin a ground search.
The ranger then hiked toward the hiker’s last known location near the summit and found the 21-year-old at 9:51 p.m., deceased, according to the spokesperson.
The dog was found alive and was led off the mountain by rangers, officials said, but poor weather conditions initially prevented crews from recovering the hiker’s body.
Hikers gather near the summit of Mount Marcy, the highest peak in New York state, in Adirondack Park, Feb. 6, 2020. (Andrew Fraieli/Istock/Getty Images Plus)
A State Police helicopter transported two forest rangers to the site on Friday morning, where they were able to recover the hiker’s remains.
“The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation offers its condolences to the family,” the spokesperson said.
