Stranded Upstate New York Hikers Saved After Massive Flash Flood

What started out as a simple hike, turned dangerous for these hikers in a matter of minutes.

It was a busy day for these New York State Forest Rangers. In one day alone, they received not one, but two different distress calls from hikers around Kaaterskill Falls. Why? That'd be because of severe flash flooding.

First Rescue

Ranger Seamus Peterson was quick to respond to the scene, where he found a hiker stranded below the lower falls. At the time, the water was approximately four-feet deep and coming on strong. Peterson knew it wouldn't be an easy task, but had all the tools to make the rescue.

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He tied a rope to the tree for safety, then waded through the creek and carried the subject back across to safer ground. It was a fast rescue, but he wasn't done quite yet.

Second Rescue

Ranger Peterson then took off to Fawns Leap, off Route 23A, where seven people were stranded on the opposite side of Kaaterskill Creek. This was a rescue that needed more than one person to execute.

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Forest Rangers Dawson and Fox were called in, where they worked with the Twin Cloves Technical Rescue Team to prepare a "high angle rope rescue system". This couldn't save everyone, but it did get two of the hikers out of harms way.

Rangers Ellis, Horn and Jackson also arrived to help, working alongside the New York State Police, Greene County Sheriff's Office, Hunter Police, and Kingston & Tannersville Fire Departments. They executed a swift water rescue, using an inflatable float to reach the stranded hikers.

[The hikers] basically saw a foot wave just coming down the creek.

One by one, each of the remaining five hikers were helped across the creek in the boat. Thankfully, no one was injured before or during the rescue. Everyone was able to clear the scene by 6:44pm.