Police: Hiker who went missing in Ringwood State Park found safe in nearby NY town
Authorities say the woman went on a hike near Skylands Manor Sunday afternoon.
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A hiker who was reported missing in Ringwood has been found safe following a search-and-rescue effort.
The search for 63-year-old Carol Heimbach started early Monday morning. Police say she was found safe around 1:30 p.m. in a neighborhood in Sloatsburg, New York, about five miles from Ringwood State Park.
“I’m happy to say as we start this off that we do have a happy outcome,” said Chief George Fedorczyk, of the New Jersey State Park Police.
The chief says Heimbach, of Wayne, was found thanks to a homeowner in Sloatsburg who checked his Ring doorbell camera and spotted her by his house. She was immediately found by police after that tip and taken to a hospital.
Fedorczyk says it’s not clear if she was lost but certainly seemed disoriented.
“Her condition at the time - she was safe, no apparent injuries but very much disoriented as you could expect most people to be,” the chief said.
Ringwood State Park is made up of 4,400 acres and sits within the Ramapo Mountains.
Police say that Heimbach regularly hikes at Ringwood State Park where she is also a volunteer.
Authorities say that as usual, she started her hike on Sunday from Lot B in the Skylands Manor section of the park. That was at 12:30 p.m.
At 10 p.m. Sunday, her family called the police and by 1 a.m., a major search-and-rescue operation was underway. Police say Heimbach left her phone in her car so had no way to call anyone.
It’s not clear if Heimbach was able to seek shelter at any time during that hike but from the time she started until found, Heimbach may have been in the elements for 25 hours.
