DUANE -- A Norwood man was rescued by forest rangers after an encounter with a bear near Meacham Lake.

Matthew Tessier, 45, of Norwood said he followed the trail until it got dark and then stopped and leaned up against a small tree to rest. The tree fell over, startling a nearby black bear the man had not noticed. He backed away from the bear slowly, but lost the trail in the dark.

The man had been practicing with the Franklin Academy cross-country team at the DEC Meacham Lake Campground, but did not return to the bus with the team and another coach as planned.

With no cell phone service, the bus left with the students and reported the missing coach to the school bus garage.

The second coach remained at the scene. Two DEC Forest Rangers responded to the location at 6:15 p.m. and interviewed the second coach and learned that the missing man was last seen at 4:30 p.m. at the start of an old trail that leads from the campground.

The rangers searched campground roads and trails with no success.

One forest ranger then proceeded along the Meacham Lake shoreline and up to a ridgeline.

Once up on the ridgeline, the Forest Ranger heard the man calling out. The forest ranger followed the voice and located the man at 9:15 p.m. in a wetland 1.5 miles from where he was last seen.

The forest ranger provided the man with dry clothes and escorted him back to the campground at 10:15 p.m.

St. Regis Falls EMS assessed and released him.