WOODGATE - The picturesque forested trail that runs past Otter Lake and Long Lake on the southern edge of the Adirondacks has become a trail of tragedy with the deaths of three snowmobilers over the course of five days.
Meanwhile, the recent spate of snowmobile fatalities in Oneida County - four deaths in nine days - pushed the number of snowmobile accident fatalities in New York this winter to 18, and put the state on pace for its deadliest sledding season since 31 riders died in 2002-2003, according to the state Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation.
The most recent accident was late Monday or early Tuesday when 22-year-old Craig Albert crashed into a stand of trees half-mile from where two of his friends were killed over the weekend.
State police investigators said Albert was traveling at high speed when he lost control on a curve and crashed into several trees.
Police said Joseph Yoroshko IV, 28, of Pittsgrove, N.J., was also operating his snowmobile at high speed late Friday when he lost control on a curve and crashed head-on into a tree, killing himself and 26-year-old Rebecca Brown, of Malaga, N.J., a passenger.
Bruce Hart of Woodgate, a friend of the Albert family, said the 10-foot wide trails are usually cleared by volunteers from area snowmobiling clubs.
“This is one of the safest trails around,” said Hart, who is also a snowmobiler.
Hart suggested a combination of snow and rain created an icy layer on the trail and likely led to the accidents.
State parks spokeswoman Sally Drake said snowmobiling fatalities in New York had been on the decline the past two years, partly the result of aggressive education and safety awareness efforts by local clubs and law enforcement agencies.
Last year, there were only 10 snowmobiling fatalities in New York, and just 14 deaths the year before that, she said.
This year, nine people were killed in December alone.
“It was a different season in terms of the snow. We had a late snowfall last winter so our first death wasn't until January. This year, we had deaths in early December. We had a lot of snow and a lot of people riding,” Drake said.
The most recent accident was late Monday or early Tuesday when 22-year-old Craig Albert crashed into a stand of trees half-mile from where two of his friends were killed over the weekend.
State police investigators said Albert was traveling at high speed when he lost control on a curve and crashed into several trees.
Police said Joseph Yoroshko IV, 28, of Pittsgrove, N.J., was also operating his snowmobile at high speed late Friday when he lost control on a curve and crashed head-on into a tree, killing himself and 26-year-old Rebecca Brown, of Malaga, N.J., a passenger.
Bruce Hart of Woodgate, a friend of the Albert family, said the 10-foot wide trails are usually cleared by volunteers from area snowmobiling clubs.
“This is one of the safest trails around,” said Hart, who is also a snowmobiler.
Hart suggested a combination of snow and rain created an icy layer on the trail and likely led to the accidents.
State parks spokeswoman Sally Drake said snowmobiling fatalities in New York had been on the decline the past two years, partly the result of aggressive education and safety awareness efforts by local clubs and law enforcement agencies.
Last year, there were only 10 snowmobiling fatalities in New York, and just 14 deaths the year before that, she said.
This year, nine people were killed in December alone.
“It was a different season in terms of the snow. We had a late snowfall last winter so our first death wasn't until January. This year, we had deaths in early December. We had a lot of snow and a lot of people riding,” Drake said.
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