27-year-old Alec Mangiaracina of Kingston died on Saturday while hiking a dangerous area of Platte Clove Gorge in the town of Hunter.
According to a report from state police, Mangiaracina was hiking with his fiancée near the top of a waterfall on the east side of the gorge. Mangiaracina stopped to take photos, lost his footing, and fell some 50 to 60 feet into the gorge.
Police say both were novice hikers.
The press release from NYSP:
The New York State Police at Catskill report the death of a hiker who fell from a trail in the town of Hunter, Greene County, NY. At approximately 7:00PM on Saturday 07/30/11, ALEC G. MANGIARACINA, age 27, of Kingston, NY had been hiking on a trail on the east side of the Platte Clove Gorge with his fiancé. As the two approached an area at the top of a waterfall they stopped to take pictures. As MANGIARACINA approached the edge of the waterfall he lost his footing and fell approximately 50 – 60 feet to the water and rocks below. Rescuers from the Tannersville rescue squad, Tannersville Fire Dept., Centerville Fire Dept., Hunter Fire Dept., and the Haines Falls Fire Dept. responded to the scene however MANGIARACINA succumbed to his injuries at the scene. MANGIARACINA and his fiancé were novice hikers who hadn’t hiked that area of Platte Clove Gorge before. Investigation was conducted by the NYSP, the Town of Hunter Police Department, and the DEC. An autopsy is scheduled for Sunday.
