A generic photo of a person hiking in the snow.Photo:Getty
Getty
An experienced hiker has a small spruce tree — and forest rangers — to thank for saving her life.
After surviving falling hundreds of feet down the snowy South Dix mountain in New York’s Adirondack Mountains, the 46-year-old woman grabbed the tree to prevent herself from tumbling over a vertical cliff face, according to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC).
“The conditions were treacherous with pouring rain, soaking wet spruce tree cover, deep snow and slippery ice,” the DEC said in a Jan. 3 report of the Dec. 26 incident. “In addition to a higher likelihood of injury, these conditions also lead to potential hypothermia.”
The hiker from South Glens Falls then called 911 shortly after 5:30 p.m., and rangers were able to pinpoint her coordinates from the call.
In aDEC videodetailing the rescue, ranger Jamison Martin revealed that the hiker “quite honestly thought she was going to die up there” in freezing temperatures.
“She had slid down a good stretch of steep snow, hit rock slab and continued to slide” before grabbing the tree, Martin added. “She was just petrified to move in any direction … she felt like she was totally stuck … she was terrified to go up, down, left or right. ”
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The rangers then told the woman it would take hours before they could rescue her and that she needed to do everything possible to stay warm.
Rangers, including Martin, then gave her dry clothing, warm liquids and food before bringing her to her vehicle at 6:30 a.m.
source: people.com
