A 60-year-old Canadian hiker, Eric Le Bourhis, found himself in a precarious situation on Mount Colden’s Trap Dike in New York’s Adirondack Mountains when he became stranded for nearly seven hours on an icy ledge. The incident, which occurred on 21 October, has prompted warnings from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) regarding the dangers of hiking in the region during autumn.
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Le Bourhis was reported to be about seven feet from the edge of the forest, clinging to a narrow ledge that measured merely one by three feet and had become dangerously slick due to icy conditions. The NYSDEC noted that they were alerted to his predicament following the activation of a satellite beacon around 6:22 p.m. local time. Upon arrival, rangers discovered him sitting on the precarious ledge, with limited options for escape.
In a video shared by the NYSDEC, Le Bourhis reflected on his experience, describing his decision to delay putting on crampons, which are essential for gaining traction on icy surfaces. His crampons, stored in a bag, slipped off the ledge while he was trying to secure them, complicating his situation further.
The ordeal proved physically taxing for Le Bourhis, who remarked in the video, “It turns out that standing on an incline that long becomes tiring.” He recounted feeling wobbly and experiencing muscle cramps during his lengthy wait for rescue, further exacerbated by the fact that there was not enough space for him to sit down.
Rescue efforts began in earnest at approximately 1:15 a.m. the following morning, with rangers navigating the challenging terrain and realising that they would need ropes to reach him safely. Ranger Nathan Jeffery described the rescue as a “heart-in-your-throat kind of moment,” acknowledging the difficulty of the location from which they were attempting to retrieve Le Bourhis.
As the rescuers moved towards him, Ranger Jenna Curcio voiced her concerns about the risks involved. “If we both slip before I have him clipped in and on my tether, he’s dead. He’s like, gone,” she stated in a subsequent video. Once the hiker was secured, the team faced the arduous task of traversing through dense and challenging vegetation on their way back.
The rescue involved a treacherous route through the thick undergrowth, which had been described as one of the most challenging terrains to navigate. Ranger Jeffery noted, “Lost of uniforms were shredded in the process,” underscoring the physical demands of the operation.
After successfully reaching the Marcy Dam Outpost, the rescue team met additional rangers who assisted in transporting Le Bourhis away from the mountainside using all-terrain vehicles. The NYSDEC confirmed that the rescue operation concluded at around 8 a.m. on 22 October, marking the end of a harrowing ordeal.
Following the incident, the NYSDEC issued a warning to hikers regarding the current conditions of the Trap Dike. They stressed that the area is particularly hazardous at this time of year due to thin ice, indicating that the transition from summer to winter has rendered the conditions unsafe for hiking. Their message was clear: “We advise you not to.”
This rescue effort serves as a timely reminder of the risks associated with outdoor activities in mountainous regions, particularly as seasons change. Hikers are urged to remain vigilant and prepared, taking into account current weather and terrain conditions before setting out on their adventures.