Every year, millions of visitors explore the vast wilderness of New York’s Adirondack Park. Hiking is among the most popular activities, and when someone goes missing or gets injured in this expansive terrain, state forest rangers jump into action, conducting hundreds of rescue missions annually. Most of these operations, even those where lives hang in the balance, end with success.
But the discovery on May 10 of human remains off a trail in the Adirondack Mountains brought a tragic end to one such mission. The remains were identified as those of 22-year-old Léo Dufour, a Canadian university student and experienced hiker who vanished more than five months earlier, sparking an intensive and wide-reaching search.
The cause of his death remains undetermined, and a central question lingers: How did such a seasoned hiker vanish and die in an area where survival, even in harsh conditions, is usually achievable?
“This is a stark reminder that no matter how prepared you are, every hiker is just one injury away from a serious emergency,” said Mark Scott, owner of Great Range Mountain Guides in Elizabethtown, N.Y.
Mr. Dufour arrived in Newcomb, N.Y., on Friday, November 29, with plans to hike to the summit of Allen Mountain and return the same day. The hike, an 18-mile round trip, typically takes over four hours each way. He was expected back in Vaudreuil-Dorion, a suburb of Montreal, by Saturday night.
Allen Mountain is one of the 46 High Peaks in the Adirondacks — mountains with elevations exceeding 4,000 feet. While not the tallest, Allen is considered one of the most remote, requiring a long, flat approach of about seven miles before a steep, rugged ascent begins.
Hiking alone always involves risk, but late November poses additional dangers. “Conditions can change dramatically from one part of the day to the next,” said Tony Goodwin, the retired executive director of the Adirondack Trail Improvement Society.
Despite his small build — 5-foot-7 and around 150 pounds — Mr. Dufour was no novice. He had already summited 32 of the 46 High Peaks and was well on his way to becoming a “46er.” He often documented his hiking achievements with panoramic videos on social media.
When Mr. Dufour did not return home as planned, his father alerted authorities. The response was swift and substantial: 59 forest rangers launched a massive search across hundreds of rugged and snowy miles, braving freezing temperatures.
On the morning of Sunday, December 1, State Police located Mr. Dufour’s car near the trail that leads to the Allen Mountain trailhead. A register confirmed he had signed in that day for a one-day hike. Notably, he was the only hiker to sign in.
He was last known to be wearing La Sportiva hiking boots, a black Arc’teryx coat, black shell pants, a tan winter hat, and reflective sunglasses. His backpack included snowshoes, ice cleats, extra layers, mittens, an iPhone, a headlamp, a charger, a stove, and noodles — clear indicators that he was well-prepared for his journey.
Rangers initially followed a set of tracks leading toward the summit, but fresh snowfall quickly obscured them.
To support the intensive operation, two backcountry outposts equipped with wood stoves and warming tents were established. State Police helicopters airlifted supplies and searchers and provided aerial surveillance using infrared technology when weather permitted.
Charlie Wise, owner of the Mountaineer outdoor store in Keene Valley, said the operation was on a scale he had never witnessed. “They took every bit of freeze-dried food we had — twice,” he recalled. As more rangers arrived from other regions, Mr. Wise and his staff helped gear them up from head to toe.
Over eight days, rangers combed nearly 400 miles of perilous terrain — navigating steep elevations, dense forests, cliffs, and swamps. Temperatures plunged below zero, and the team endured powerful winds and whiteout conditions. In some areas, they trudged through chest-deep snow.
Erich Horn and John Rusher IV, rangers from the Catskill Mountains who joined the search, described the brutal conditions on the podcast Inside the Line: The Catskill Mountains Podcast.
“The weather was atrocious,” said Ranger Horn. “We were getting hammered with snow and winds up to 60 miles per hour. It was whiteout conditions almost constantly.”
The last confirmed location for Mr. Dufour was near the summit of Allen Mountain, his intended destination. Rangers found his water bottle at an elevation above 3,500 feet and identified two spots where his phone had pinged.
The rest remained a mystery. Did he fall and get injured? Did hypothermia cause confusion and disorientation, leading him off-trail? Or did he simply miss a crucial turn?
By the eighth day of the search, hope of finding him alive had nearly vanished. Rangers even had to divert attention to rescue another man who had driven from Quebec to look for Mr. Dufour and crashed his car — a development reported by the Adirondack Explorer.
The following day, December 9, officials announced a shift in the mission’s focus — from rescue to recovery — citing the increasingly dangerous conditions.
“The methods and strategies used since December 1 can no longer continue safely,” stated the Department of Environmental Conservation.
Winter turned to spring. Snow gave way to thawed trails. Then, on May 10, a group of hikers stumbled upon human remains near a trail. Forensic analysis confirmed the worst: the remains were those of Léo Dufour.
The news hit hard, particularly in his home province of Quebec. Even people who didn’t know him personally had followed his story and shared his passion for hiking the Adirondacks.
Among them was Kimberley Marin, a Montreal-based hiker who shared a mutual acquaintance with Mr. Dufour. “I feel like crying just being asked about it,” she said, describing the emotional impact of learning about his fate.
Mr. Dufour was studying to become a teacher and had been completing an internship at École Cité-des-Jeunes in his hometown. His mother also taught at the school. Chayi Beaulieu, a social worker at the school, described him as “vibey” and “laid back.” She added, “All the kids loved him.”
At another school, École Saint-Thomas in Hudson, Quebec, special-education teacher Andréanne Villeneuve-Dubuc remembered working with Mr. Dufour when he substituted for a gym teacher. She described him as someone with “a special kind of presence. You wanted to be around him.”
Ms. Villeneuve-Dubuc, also a hiker, emphasized that while hiking can be soul-nourishing, it also demands constant vigilance.
As a tribute, she plans to hike Mount Mansfield — Vermont’s highest peak — a trek she and Mr. Dufour had once discussed doing together.
“I’ll carry him with me every step of the way,” she said.
The tragic story of Léo Dufour serves as a sobering reminder of the unpredictability and power of nature — even for those with experience, preparation, and passion. While his life ended too soon, his spirit lives on in the mountains he loved and the people he inspired.
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