New York

Missing New Jersey Hiker Died of Pneumonia After Days Stranded in Adirondacks

Friends in New York City reported Alex Stevens missing when he failed to meet up with them

What to Know

  • Friends in New York City reported Alex Stevens missing when he failed to meet up with them
  • He was last seen alive by other hikers on Sept. 2; search teams found his body Monday afternoon
  • The medical examiner says the cause of death was bronchial pneumonia resulting from a lack of food and exposure

A 28-year-old New Jersey man whose body was found in a remote area of the Adirondack Mountains had died from pneumonia after spending days in wet, cold conditions, authorities say. 

The doctor who conducted the autopsy on Alex Stevens, of Hopewell, tells the Adirondack Daily Enterprise that the cause of death was bronchial pneumonia resulting from a lack of food and exposure. 

Search teams found his body Monday afternoon near Wallface Mountain, in the High Peaks Region about 10 miles south of Lake Placid. 

Authorities say he had set out for what was supposed to be a three-day hike over Labor Day weekend. He was last seen alive by other hikers on Sept. 2. 

State forest rangers say he was inadequately prepared for spending several nights in rugged terrain during cold, rainy conditions.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
Contact Us