Experienced Hiker Survives Fall from Adirondack Mountain Peak

Hope Lloyd endures freezing night after fall, rescued by rangers after eight-hour wait

Hope Lloyd, a 46-year-old experienced hiker, survived a fall from the summit of South Dix Mountain in New York’s Adirondack Mountains by grabbing onto a spruce tree, preventing her from sliding off a cliff.
Lloyd was hiking alone on December 26 when she slipped and fell several hundred feet through snow and a slippery rock slab.
Despite freezing conditions with temperatures below 30 degrees and 45-mile-an-hour winds, Lloyd survived the night by using an emergency blanket and moving her body to generate heat.
Rangers reached Lloyd eight hours after her emergency call, providing her with warm liquids, food, and dry clothing before guiding her back to her vehicle.
Lloyd, who had previously completed all 46 peaks of the Adirondack Mountains twice, suffered only scrapes and bruises from the incident.