Latest news with #Catskills
Fox News
15 hours ago
- Fox News
Hiker's wilderness adventure ends in tragedy at popular park destination
An Illinois man died after falling while hiking at a state park in New York. The 70-year-old tourist, Jack Wersching, was hiking in the Kaaterskill Wild Forest in the Catskills on the evening of Friday, June 20, when he fell from a rock ledge onto stone steps below, according to a statement from New York State Police. Wersching, of Park Ridge, Illinois, was walking along a path near a waterfall when the incident occurred. Park rangers responded quickly to the scene and attempted to stabilize him for an airlift to a hospital, but he died at the scene. "DEC sends our condolences to the hiker's family, and thanks the first responders for their efforts," the Department of Environmental Conservation said in a statement, adding that it was investigating. A witness to the accident told the New York Post that he recalled hearing cries for help and finding Wersching badly injured. Shilo Shalom, who had briefly met Wersching and his family earlier in the day while hiking, told the outlet he had attempted to assist by using shirts to stem the bleeding. "I just tried to save him, and I couldn't," Shalom told the outlet. Wersching's family also shared a statement with the Post and described him as a "loving husband, father, and grandfather, remembering him as someone who approached life with curiosity and a sense of adventure." "Though we are devastated by this loss, we take comfort in knowing he was doing something he truly loved when he passed," Wersching's family said in the statement. Stepheny Price is a writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business. She covers topics including missing persons, homicides, national crime cases, illegal immigration, and more. Story tips and ideas can be sent to
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
Hiker dies after fall from rock ledge on trail to one of New York's tallest waterfalls
A 70-year-old hiker died after falling on a popular Catskill Mountains trail in the town of Hunter, Greene County, on Friday. New York State Police responded at 6:16 p.m. to a call reporting an injured hiker in the Kaaterskill Wild Forest, according to the agency. Forest rangers from the state Department of Environmental Conservation also responded. Jack Wersching, 70, of Park Ridge, Illinois, was injured after falling from a rock ledge onto the stone steps of the Kaaterskill Falls Access Trail, police said. Responders provided medical assistance and carried Wersching to the trailhead, where emergency crews attempted to stabilize him for helicopter transport to a hospital. He was pronounced dead at the scene. 'DEC sends our condolences to the hiker's family and thanks the first responders for their efforts,' the agency said in a statement. Kaaterskill Falls, a two-tiered waterfall, is among the Catskills' most popular hiking destinations, estimated to draw more than 150,000 visitors annually. But its steep terrain and slippery rocks have contributed to at least 10 deaths since 1992, including several cases in which hikers fell over the falls while attempting to take photos. Two people died in the summer of 2014. The DEC briefly restricted access to the falls for upgrades in 2015. State officials have invested more than $1 million over the past decade on safety improvements, including the installation of warning signs, fences, stone steps, a viewing platform and guardrails at the top of the falls. The falls total about 260 feet in tandem, making the combined drop taller than Niagara Falls and Taughannock Falls. This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Illinois hiker dies on Kaaterskill Falls trail in Catskills. New York
Forbes
19-06-2025
- Forbes
Inside Look: Postcard Cabins Eastern Catskills Review
With 29 outposts across the U.S., outdoor hospitality brand Postcard Cabins offers custom-built cabins all within a two-hour drive of a major city. Formerly known as Getaway, the brand launched in 2015 with the goal of providing busy city dwellers easy access to the beauty and tranquility of nature. As a millennial professional who has called New York City home for the past seven years, I was naturally drawn to this concept and excited to experience one of the cabins myself. After hearing of Postcard Cabins' recent acquisition by Marriott, I decided to check out the Eastern Catskills outpost for a weekend escape. Read my full review below. Exterior of Postcard Cabins Eastern Catskills. Upon my arrival in the Catskills, I was greeted by a gravelly main road leading into a quiet enclave of miniature cabins, all surrounded by private woodlands consisting of spruce, oak and pine trees. Signs with the names of each cabin (named after family members of the Postcard Cabins team; mine was Dawn) are posted on the trees or signs lining this main road, and smaller driveways branch out from it and lead to the secluded cabins. The cabins were quite close together (I could see the cabin across from me on the main road, for instance), but there was enough foliage around each cabin to provide a feeling of solitude. Amenities at Postcard Cabins Eastern Catskills. The Postcard Cabins team was great at texting me several hours before check-in time (3 p.m.) with instructions and a code to the door lock, as well as a PDF of a map of the neighborhood. When I reached my cabin, I was pleasantly surprised by the outdoor setup, which featured a picnic table, a hammock, a fire pit with wood and firestarter bundles, as well as a chef's station to prepare meals (or s'mores, which was what I did). The foliage around this setup was thick enough that I couldn't see the neighboring cabins on my side of the main road, and these woods were filled with the pleasant sounds of various birds. By the time I got to the cabin, it was already 8 p.m., so it was quite dark; luckily, there were outdoor string lights already turned on, which gave the outdoor area a warm, welcoming glow. I stayed in a Cabin Standard, an entry-level category, which felt cozy at just 150 square feet. Upon walking in, I was able to immediately assess almost every amenity available: There was an electric lantern already charging via USB by the door, a basic set of cookware, dishes, cutlery, cooking tools, glassware (including heat-safe mugs), kitchen towels and a tea kettle. There were also provisions like coffee, tea and a s'mores kit on offer for an additional fee, but I brought groceries I needed for the weekend along with me. During the weekend of my stay, there happened to be a public health notice on the tap water at this outpost, which the Postcard Cabins team warned me about; luckily, there was a full gallon of clean spring water available, which lasted me the entire two nights of my stay. Sleeping area at Postcard Cabins Eastern Catskills. It was quite a stressful Friday for me with work and travel, including carrying a weekend stay's worth of clothes and groceries on my back, so I was pleased to find freshly made ben linens and a bathroom fully stocked with towels, toilet paper, shampoo, body wash and conditioner. WiFi information, a 24-hour support phone number, check-in and check-out times, neighborhood information, and details on how to operate the string lights were all readily available, setting my mind at ease. There was also a lockbox for my cellphone if I wanted to disconnect for the weekend. Despite the small space, the cabin's layout and design were thoughtful enough that it didn't feel cramped at all. A wall-to-wall bedside window that reached up to the ceiling provided the feeling of camping while still enjoying the comforts of air conditioning, a queen-sized bed, an internet connection and protection from the elements. There was also quite a bit of storage space under the kitchen prep area, as well as a mini fridge, a magnetic knife block on the wall and a small sink with a drying rack, all contributing to saved space. One of the steps next to the bed also functions as a seat for the dining table (in addition to the other movable chair). Kitchen prep area at Postcard Cabins Eastern Catskills. The actual kitchen prep area itself, which includes the induction stovetop, prep space and sink, felt quite cramped, so I wouldn't recommend cooking any elaborate meals here. There's also not a lot of room to chop and set aside ingredients or to wash a big pile of dishes (drying them would involve setting the drying rack on top of the sink). The provisions and gallon of spring water on the other side of the stovetop also took up quite a bit of counter space. Still, this wasn't a dealbreaker for me as I did not cook anything intricate (I settled for a simple meal of pasta accompanied by red wine, which I enjoyed under the glow of the outdoor string lights). I didn't bring a car, so my plan was to enjoy a weekend of solitude, journaling and meditation in the quiet of nature. However, having a car does provide the easiest access to the area's best nature experiences—and even local culture if you want to mix it up. Hiking trails abound in the area, but the biggest draw is the 260-foot Kaaterskill Falls, which happens to be New York's highest cascading waterfall and is only 2.5 miles from the cabins. Other nearby hiking trails include the Overlook Mountain Trail and the North-South Lake, both about 4 miles away. You might be lucky enough to spot Golden eagles, bald eagles or hawks on your hike. There's also the Tousey Winery and the Last Chance Cheese Tavern in the area if you want to dine out. Postcard Cabins Eastern Catskills is a 2.5-hour drive from New York City, but you can also get there via Amtrak from Penn Station to Hudson; from the station, you can take a taxi or an Uber/Lyft to get to the cabins, which takes about 20 minutes. Guests can also take a Greyhound bus from New York City to the Catskill Park and Ride and take a cab to the Outpost, which is about a seven-minute journey.
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
New Details Revealed About Final Moments of Upstate New York Plane Crash That Killed Former College Soccer Star and Family
The National Transportation Safety Board has released an initial report on the April plane crash that killed a family from Massachusetts The report states that the Mitsubishi MU-2B-40 plane, flown by Michael Groff, had stopped responding to air traffic controllers minutes before it crashed Six people were killed, including Groff, his wife Joy Saini, his daughter Karenna Groff and her boyfriend James Santoro, his son Jared and Jared's girlfriend Alexia Couyutas DuarteInvestigators have released new details about the final moments of a plane crash in upstate New York that killed a family from Massachusetts. According to a report from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) published on Friday, May 9, Michael Groff — the father and neurosurgeon who was at the controls of the family's small plane before it crashed in the Catskill Mountains last month — had stopped communication with air traffic control just moments before the fatal incident. In the report, officials said that Michael's Mitsubishi MU-2B-40 plane left Westchester County Airport in White Plains, N.Y., on the morning of Saturday, April 12, at around 11:30 a.m. local time, and Michael headed north to Columbia County Airport in Hudson, N.Y. The plane had departed the Boston area earlier that morning, and Michael picked up his daughter Karenna Groff, who was named the NCAA Woman of the Year in 2022, as well as her partner James Santoro, in New York to celebrate Karenna's 25th birthday in the Catskills. Also onboard the plane were Michael's wife and urogynecologist Joy Saini, Karenna's brother Jared, and Jared's partner Alexia Couyutas Duarte. All six people died in the crash, the report confirmed. At 11:57 a.m., Michael alerted air traffic control that he had missed the initial approach to the runway at Columbia County Airport. Controllers then gave him new landing instructions, and he responded just after 12 p.m., per the report. About one minute later, the controller told Michael that the plane was flying too low, and he did not answer. The plane disappeared from radar visibility by 12:03 p.m., and eventually crashed into a snowy area about 10 miles south of the airport. The NTSB did not confirm the cause of the crash in the report, but said that all of the major machinery was found within 150 feet of the crash site. The report also stated that the weather was overcast at the time of the crash. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. "The wreckage was recovered to a secure facility for further examination," the NTSB added, noting that the report is preliminary and an investigation is still ongoing. Friends and family of the victims have previously spoken out about the tragedy. 'They were a wonderful family,' James' father, John Santoro, told the AP. 'The world lost a lot of very good people who were going to do a lot of good for the world if they had the opportunity. We're all personally devastated.' Reflecting on the loss of his son specifically, he added, 'The 25 years we had with James were the best years of our lives, and the joy and love he brought us will be enough to last a lifetime.' Read the original article on People
Daily Mail
10-05-2025
- General
- Daily Mail
Tragic new details reveal final moments of plane that crashed in upstate New York and killed family of six
Tragic new details have emerged about the final moments of a family who were killed in a horror plane crash in upstate New York. Federal investigators have put together a timeline of the events which led up to the deaths of the six victims on April 12. Former MIT soccer player Karenna Goff, her physician parents, Dr. Michael Groff and Dr. Joy Saini, her brother, Jared Groff, and his partner, Alexia Couyutas Duarte and Karenna Groff´s boyfriend, James Santoro were aboard the aircraft when it went down. The Massachusetts family was heading to the Catskills to celebrate Karenna's 25th birthday and the Passover holiday. Their private plane departed Westchester County Airport in White Plains, New York, at around 11:30am heading north to Columbia County Airport in Hudson, according to a National Transportation Safety Board preliminary report issued Friday. The aircraft was piloted by Michael Groff, 55, who had left the Boston suburbs early Saturday morning, picking up Karenna Groff and Santoro in White Plains. But at about 11:57am Michael Groff informed air traffic control that he had missed the initial approach to the runway at Columbia County Airport, according to the report. The controller then gave him new instructions for the landing, which Groff acknowledged a little after 12pm. But around a minute later the controller warned Groff the plane was flying at a low altitude, the report states. The pilot never responded and despite multiple warnings, air traffic control received no further radio transmissions from the plane until radar contact was eventually lost. The Mitsubishi MU-2B-40 crashed in snow covered terrain roughly 10 miles south of the airport. Investigators didn't provide an exact cause of the crash in the preliminary report. But they noted that all major components of the aircraft found within a 150-foot debris field and that no significant weather advisories were in effect in the region at the time of the crash. NTSB officials have previously said overcast conditions may have impacted the pilot's visibility and that an initial investigation had not turned up any issues with the aircraft. The crash orphaned the Groff's youngest daughter Anika Groff, who had recently announced she would attend the University of North Carolina in the fall. James's father, John Santoro described the victims as, 'a wonderful family'. 'The world lost a lot of very good people who were going to do a lot of good for the world if they had the opportunity. We're all personally devastated,' he said. Karenna was the NCAA's 2022 woman of the year, her boyfriend was an MIT graduate. Karenna's father was a neuroscientist and her mother was a urogynecologist. Duarte was due to attend Harvard Law School, while her boyfriend Jared Groff was a paralegal. Michael Groff was certified and had also been flying for 'a number of years' and 'from a very young age', according to officials.
