A New Jersey hiker who became ill Saturday while hiking on one of the tallest peaks in Maine had to be airlifted off the mountain, located in Baxter State Park.

The 29-year-old woman from Moorestown, New Jersey, was hiking with six companions on Pamola Peak when she became ill from a medical condition and was unable to continue, according to a news release posted on the park’s Facebook page.

Baxter State Park rangers received a 911 call at 11:57 a.m. Saturday. A ranger reached the group around 1:17 p.m. Pamola Peak, at 4,919 feet, is one of the highest peaks in Maine and is one mile from Baxter Peak on Mount Katahdin.

Park rangers called the Maine Army National Guard Medevac Unit for help and the hiker was transported off Pamola Peak and taken to Millinocket Regional Hospital late Saturday afternoon. Her condition is not known.

Chief Ranger Stuart Guay said hikers should never assume that they can be rescued by helicopter. If the cloud cover had been lower or the weather rainy, a litter evacuation would have taken 24 to 36 hours to complete.


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