Young Hiker Dies on Mount Marcy; Dog Found Alive by Rescuers

New Jersey Hiker Died Climbing Mount Marcy

Tragic news out of the Adirondacks this week after a young hiker from New Jersey died while climbing Mount Marcy, New York’s highest peak.

According to a report from Adirondack Explorer, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation said a 21-year-old hiker called 911 around 3:05 p.m. Thursday, reporting they had slipped near the summit and were unable to get back onto the trail.
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The caller also said they had a dog with them. It remains unclear what caused the fall or if anyone else was hiking with them, according to the report.

Rangers Make Difficult Climb to Summit

Standing at 5,344 feet, Mount Marcy’s exposed alpine summit is known for extreme winter conditions, including high winds, low visibility, deep snow, and dangerous hidden spruce traps, which form when branches prevent snow from filling the area around the trunk

Temperatures in the region on Thursday were in the teens, with wind chills near or below zero at higher elevations.

DEC Forest Rangers quickly launched a rescue effort, working with the New York State Police Aviation Unit in hopes of performing a helicopter hoist rescue. However, heavy cloud cover and low visibility around the summit prevented crews from spotting the hiker from the air.

A ranger was inserted into a ground search near Marcy Dam and began the long, difficult hike toward the summit, which is more than five miles away and nearly 3,000 feet higher in elevation.

Hiker's Dog Found Alive

At 9:51 p.m., the ranger located the hiker near the summit, but sadly, they had died.

The hiker’s dog was found alive and safely escorted down the mountain by rescuers. Due to poor weather conditions, crews were unable to recover the body until early Friday morning.

The DEC has extended condolences to the hiker’s family as the investigation continues, and we appreciate the selfless efforts of the men and women who attempted this dangerous rescue in some of the harshest conditions the Adirondacks can offer.