MAMAKATING, NY — The NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) forest rangers saved five hikers who were lost in Roosa Gap State Forest and couldn’t find their way back to the Cox Road trailhead.

The hikers, who are from Queens, NY, called Sullivan County 911 for help at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 22. At 6:30 p.m., forest ranger John Rusher reached the group approximately 2.5 miles from the trailhead.

The group thought the Long Path was a one-mile loop and was not prepared to be outside in the extremely hot weather, said the DEC rangers. They’d brought only one bottle of water for each person. One member of the party was dizzy and nauseated as the result of heat exhaustion. 

Rusher provided food, water, and electrolytes to everyone in the group so that they could continue hiking down. At 8:10 p.m., the Summitville Fire Department hiked in with additional water for the group. At 8:45 p.m., the group reached the trailhead and were checked out by emergency medical technicians.