Man Falls 50 Feet, Lands in Hole In the Ground In Upstate NY!

Hiking in New York can be a beautiful yet dangerous experience. For example, as those beautiful leaves start to fall, the ground will become slippery and the next thing you know you are on the ground yourself.

In some cases simply falling to the ground would be the best case scenario. Imagine falling and landing in a huge hole in the ground surrounded by rocks. That's what happened to one New Yorker and he is lucky to be alive.

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On Saturday October 22nd, New York State Forest Rangers responded to a call from the State Police. The Rangers were needed in a rescue mission in Ulster County near Gertrude's Nose. which is a brief but moderately challenging hike.

New York State DEC reports that a man had been hiking the Gertrude's Nose area when he fell approximately 50 feet into a rock crevice. Can you imagine landing in this?

Minnewaska State Park Preserve envelops over 22,000 acres but Forest Rangers and State Police were able to locate the 54-year-old New York City man who had fallen into that hole. Now, how to get him to safety?

Officials began their rescue by raising the man out of the hole with a rope. According to the NYS DEC, the man had suffered a significant head injury and was fading in and out of consciousness. Once out of the hole, rescuers carried the man half a mile to Gertrude's Nose. That's when the helicopters took over.

Forest Rangers were able to get the injured man into an aviation litter and hoisted into helicopter 1. The patient was then transferred to a Life Flight helicopter and taken to the hospital.