Columbia-Greene Media
HUNTER — A woman from Dutchess County died over the weekend while hiking in the town of Hunter, Department of Environmental Conservation spokesman Jeff Wernick said Tuesday.
The woman, who has not been identified by authorities, was 31, from Hopewell Junction, Wernick said.
On Sunday, at about 12:35 p.m., Forest Ranger Anastasia Allwine responded to an area of Platte Clove Road after receiving a report of a fallen hiker, Wernick said.
Allwine requested assistance and state police, Greene County Paramedics, Rangers Lt. Kevin Slade, Robert Dawson, Stephen Ellis, Katherine Fox, Daniel Jahn and Howard Kreft, all arrived to assist in the rescue.
The woman was pronounced dead at the scene by Greene County Coroner Hassan J. Basagic III, Wernick said.
Rangers conducted a technical rope recovery operation to recover the woman’s body, Wernick said.
The woman’s body was transferred to the custody of the Greene County Coroner.
The accident happened in an area near Bridal Veil Falls, Basagic said.
State police, who are handling the investigation, have released few details of what may have caused the woman to fall. State police have the incident logged in their blotter as an unattended death.
More that six hours later, all rangers were back in service at 6:40 p.m.
This is the first hiking death to occur in Greene County in 2022.
There were two fatal hiking incidents in the spring of 2021 in the town of Hunter.
In March, a man from Westchester County died while hiking on Becker Hollow Trail, and in May, a man from Yonkers died after falling at Kaaterskill Falls.
Sunday’s rescue was the second rescue of the week for rangers in Greene County.
On May 18 at about 9:30 p.m., Greene County 911 requested Forest Ranger assistance after receiving reports that there was an injured hiker in the Kaaterskill Wild Forest, Wernick said.
Allwine and Dawson made contact with the two unidentified hikers from Washington, D.C., who were lost approximately a half-mile from Long Path.
Rangers hiked in from Steenburgh Road, reached the two hikers, and helped the pair back to the trailhead.
The entire rescue lasted six hours, with everyone reaching their cars by 3:30 a.m.
If a person needs a Forest Ranger, whether it’s for a search and rescue, to report a wildfire, or to report illegal activity on state lands and easements, they should call 833-NYS-RANGERS. If a person needs urgent assistance, they should call 911.