AMHERST - The rescue of a woman lost Sunday afternoon on trails in the area of the Notch in South Amherst is prompting fire officials to remind people to take precautions before venturing out, especially in light of dropping nighttime temperatures and downed tree limbs from the Oct. 29 snowstorm.

Fire Chief Tim Nelson said a 55-year-old Colrain woman used her cellphone to call emergency dispatch around 3:45 p.m. realizing she was lost and might not be able to make it out before dark. The woman had parked her car at the Notch Visitors Center before walking more than a mile into the woods, Nelson said.

When the call came in, Nelson said he immediately put an ambulance on standby and notified the North fire station, where Capt. Brian Sterling leads an experienced rescue team. Pinpointing her location, two firefighters and a police officer went in at 37 Bay Road and in about 20 minutes located the woman and walked her out from the woods.

The woman was checked by the ambulance crew before being given a courtesy escort back to her vehicle.

Nelson said even though the woman is an experienced hiker, bringing water, a backpack with supplies, a warm hat and a walking stick, she didn't have a flashlight or any means of directing herself.

"She didn't have a map and she misjudged the time," Nelson said.

She also had not let friends know where she was going or when she might return.

Nelson said he would like hikers to be more cautious, as the department makes similar rescue once or twice a month. "We want folks to be careful," Nelson said.

Even though Sunday's weather was good for hiking, the earlier snowstorm caused many trees to fall over and many markers to be moved, making the trails harder to navigate.

Scott Merzbach can be reached at smerzbach@gazettenet.com.