Canadian hiker spends seven hours on frozen ledge before rescue

A 60-year-old Canadian man stood motionless on a frozen New York ledge for seven hours before rescue crews pulled him to safety. He had lost his crampons, the metal spikes that attach to winter boots, while crossing the Mount Colden Trap Dike. Without that gear, he could not move up or down the icy surface.

The hiker activated an emergency satellite beacon at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, October 21. Rangers received the signal and began the climb toward his location. The Trap Dike route is classified as a fourth-class mountaineering climb. Officials stated that the path has claimed multiple lives over the years.

Rescue teams arrived at the man's position around 1 a.m. The operation required careful physical handling to secure him to a safety line. Forest Ranger Jenna Curcio described the risk of the moment. "When I got out to him and was trying just to get him secured to me, the thought went through my mind: if we both slip before I have him clipped in and on my tether, he’s dead. He’s like, gone," she said.

State forest rangers advise hikers to research routes and carry appropriate equipment before entering steep backcountry terrain. The rescue occurred in the Adirondack Mountains near Keene, New York. The hiker was extracted from the ledge once he was fully secured to the tether system.