Climber Rescued After Seven Hours on an Icy Ledge in the Adirondacks - Health and medicine

Eric Le Bourhis activated his emergency beacon instead of attempting a dangerous jump from a frozen ledge on Mount Colden. New York forest rangers reached him overnight and completed the rescue nearly 14 hours after his SOS.

A 60-year-old Canadian climber was rescued from Mount Colden in New York’s Adirondack Mountains after spending seven hours stranded on a narrow patch of frozen rock and ice. Eric Le Bourhis avoided a risky jump to nearby trees and activated his satellite emergency beacon as night fell on October 21, 2026.

Le Bourhis was climbing the Trap Dike route when he stopped to put on his crampons. The bag containing them slid down the mountain, leaving him without the traction needed to continue. The wet rock he had climbed earlier had frozen, making the descent slippery too. Although trees were about seven feet away, reaching them would have required jumping across the icy slope.

In an interview released by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Le Bourhis said he wrestled with whether to jump or call for help. As the sun set, he chose to activate his beacon. Dispatch received the signal at 6:22 p.m.

With no room to sit, he remained standing on the ledge while he waited. Looking toward Lake Placid or trying to spot rescuers made him feel unsteady, he said, so he kept his headlamp low and focused on the ground in front of him.

Chris Boyer, executive director of the National Association for Search and Rescue, told Outside that panic can lead stranded people to take greater risks or leave a location where rescuers expect to find them. Unless there is an immediate danger, such as an avalanche or lightning, staying put can give rescue teams a reliable place to start their search.

Forest rangers reached Le Bourhis at 1:16 a.m. on October 22. A ranger secured him to a rope system, and the team guided him to the trees. They then made a difficult uphill route through the brush before descending a trail. The operation ended at 8 a.m., nearly 14 hours after the SOS was sent.

Ranger Nate Jeffery praised Le Bourhis for staying composed and holding his position for so long. Le Bourhis said he had never expected to need his emergency beacon and felt guilty and ashamed about calling for help. Boyer urged backcountry users not to hesitate to seek assistance in an emergency, noting that search-and-rescue personnel train and prepare to help people in trouble.

Sources: Outside.