By Sage Miller, Summit County Rescue Group There’s nothing quite like a perfect summer afternoon in Summit County. If you’re lucky enough, you might just find yourself having a stroll in the crisp mountain air. Aspens and pines wave gently in a special kind of breeze that blows just right. These are the afternoons I want to cherish and remember, that I want my children to remember, and these are the days when impromptu adventures happen in our family. We might head to the nearest neighborhood trailhead and wander around a piney forest, or maybe make our way to some water where we can gather st ..read more

By La Plata County Search and Rescue, submitted by LPCSAR member Coral Smith On September 23, 2022, LPCSAR responded to an evening call.  At 19:47, hunter #1 in a party of four used his InReach to report hunter #2 had a broken ankle in the remote La Plata Mountains. Hunter #2 had fallen down a steep slope, sustained an ankle injury, was unable to put weight on it, and found himself in very steep terrain with thick undergrowth. His situation was not currently life threatening but the group was unable to make a fire, and at 10,100 feet elevation, the temperature was dropping quickly.  ..read more

By Cameron Torres, Chaffee County Search and Rescue South GULCH: a deep or precipitous cleft. Especially: one occupied by a torrent After I retired from the Air Force, I found my niche in our local search and rescue unit. I was a tad concerned when I showed up—dangling from cliffs, setting splints, and river rescues aren’t really in my wheelhouse. But I figured I’ve done enough trotting/hiking/walking over the last five years to be of use carrying all the crap that’s required for missions. Turns out the number one asset I brought to the organization was not having a Monday through Fr ..read more

By Luke Mielke, Douglas County Search and Rescue Please! Please! Please! Don’t self-diagnose. This stuff is complicated, with lots of gray areas.  Far too often, mental health conditions are referred to in casual conversations and we don’t want to be discrediting how serious and life-impacting they can be. The good news is, psychological stress injuries can be recognized early, addressed before becoming worse, and effectively treated with professional mental health help. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-5-TR) defines trauma as, “exposure to actual or threatened death, serious in ..read more

By LaPlata County Search and Rescue, submitted by Coral Smith On Sunday, July 17th of 2022, 22-year-old Daniel LamThach from Salt Lake City was seen at the Molas Lake area, where he started a trail run. On Monday, July 18th, his cell phone was found by hikers 3.5 miles from the Animas River. Daniel was reported missing by a concerned friend on Thursday, July 21st. For the next 11 days, San Juan County Sheriff’s Department and San Juan County Search and Rescue worked hand-in-hand with Colorado Search and Rescue Association, Flight for Life, DFPC Multi Mission Fixed Wing Aircraft, Montrose Helit ..read more

By Charles Pitman, Summit County Rescue Group Being lost in the wilderness is a frightening experience. Whether you are 100 feet or a half mile off the trail, you don’t see how anyone could possibly find you. Yet, there are some inexpensive ways to improve your situation and help relocate your intended route, besides calling for search and rescue (SAR). In 2021, Summit County Rescue Group (SCRG) fielded a record number of calls for assistance. Of the 215 SAR calls placed to Summit County’s 911 call center, a large number were from people who had simply lost the trail. There are several common ..read more

By Bruce Beckmann, Alpine Rescue Team BACKGROUND Adventurers exploring the backcountry should always carry a device capable of sending a satellite message.  When an emergency arises and no cellular signal is available, having the ability to send an “SOS” or a message via a satellite may save a life, your own or someone else’s.  There are now three primary types of devices that use satellites to communicate: 1)   Personal locator beacon (PLB) 2)   Satellite messaging devices, or just “satellite messenger” 3)   Satellite capable cellular phones. In brief ..read more

by Hannah Gallager, current member of Lake County Search and Rescue and former member of Alpine Rescue Team Back in January of 2019, I was accepted into a training program for new members of the Alpine Rescue Team. I had a fair amount of insecurity about what I could offer them, although I was very passionate and committed to the mission of the organization and had already volunteered for a few years doing various administrative tasks. One of my biggest fears was that being a new mom represented a conflict of interest or, at the very least, a handicap to being the best team member I could have ..read more

by Bruce Beckmann, Alpine Rescue Team Every year you hear backcountry search and rescue (BSAR) teams preach about carrying the “ten essentials.”  If an emergency should arise, these essentials are vital to your being able to survive the night.  These essentials are not for use during your trip, and it is a good trip if you carry them home again without having had to use them. We also recommend having a responsible adult know where you will be and when you will return.  We call this person your “in-town.” The in-town is simply that, the adult person who remains at home and knows ..read more

It’s time for our annual blog contest!   Submissions may be made to media@coloradosar.org and this year’s deadline is March 31, 2023.  Please read the guidelines carefully before submitting.  Submission categories: Favorite rescue story/ most memorable rescue story 1st place $100 2nd place $30 3rd place $20 Articles meant for public education (teach the public something) 1st place $100 2nd place $30 3rd place $20 Articles meant for member technical education (teach the members something) 1st place $100 2nd place $30 3rd place $20 Articles from members of the public or ..read more