71-year-old hiker rescued after collapsing on Maine mountain

A Falmouth man was rescued Wednesday after he collapsed while hiking a peak in western Maine.

Gerard Jalbert, 71, was hiking Redington Mountain in Carrabassett Valley with a friend about 12:30 p.m. when he collapsed during their descent, according to Mark Latti, a spokesperson for the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.

Jalbert’s friend called 911, enabling rescuers to determine their exact location, Latti said Thursday morning.

Rescuers quickly assembled and began ascending Redington Mountain, reaching Jalbert about 3:15 p.m.

They used a Maine Forest Service helicopter to hoist Jalbert out of the woods and bring him to another helicopter that flew him to Maine Medical Center in Portland, where he remained in stable condition Thursday morning, according to Latti.

“With the need to get Mr. Jalbert to the hospital quickly, state agencies and local emergency personnel were able to work together to rescue a man in a very remote area among some of Maine’s highest mountains,” Game Warden Sgt. Scott Thrasher said.

No additional information was immediately available.

Redington Mountain is a 4,000 peak west of Sugarloaf.