Wilderness Rescue: On Aug. 26 at 4:00 p.m., a hiking party called DEC's Woodland Valley Campground to report one of the group had injured their ankle. The caretaker called Ray Brook Dispatch, which informed Forest Ranger Lieutenant Slade about the situation. Since the subject was approximately 3,300 feet up the trail, approximately a quarter mile from the Wittenberg Mountain summit in remote, rugged terrain, Lieutenant Slade called New York State Police (NYSP) Aviation for assistance. Rangers Horn and Sweeney hiked up to the 25-year-old from Brooklyn. Rangers Fox, Kreft, and Stratton met NYSP Aviation at the Catskills Visitor Center. NYSP Pilots Leeder and Plitsch flew to the Wittenberg summit where Ranger Stratton inserted Rangers Fox and Kreft, who met up with Rangers Horn and Sweeney, splinted the injured ankle, and prepared the subject for a hoist. At 7:40 p.m., the hiker was hoisted and returned to the Catskill Visitors Center where Shandaken Paramedics provided an evaluation. Forest Rangers reached the campground with the remainder of the hiking party at 10:30 p.m.
