A New Jersey woman who suffered a serious leg injury while descending a mountain trail in Baxter State Park on Tuesday was airlifted to a nearby hospital.
The 26-year-old woman from Middletown, New Jersey, was one of four hikers descending from Doubletop Mountain to Kidney Pond around 2 p.m. when she suffered a lower leg injury, according to a news release from Park Director Eben Sypitkowski.
The woman, whose name has not been released, stayed on the trail with one of her companions while the rest of her party made it to Kidney Pond, where they contacted Baxter State Park rangers. A Maine Forest Service helicopter flew to the trail and carried the woman out using a line suspended from the helicopter.
The crew transported the victim to Millinocket Regional Hospital. Information on the hiker’s condition was not available.
Park rangers commended members of the hiking party for seeking immediate help while leaving one person behind to tend to the victim.
“Our thanks go out to the Maine Forest Service for helping us head off what may have been a long rescue involving dozens of staff, and helping to produce a better outcome than a longer, ground-based effort may have produced,” Sypitkowski said.
Doubletop Mountain is about five miles west of Mount Katahdin. The north peak elevation is 3,489 feet and the south peak is 3,455 feet.
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