Buena Vista’s Mal Sillars, meteorologist and NWS observer, gave a presentation on backcountry weather considerations and reading weather signs March 16. Hannah Harn Chaffee County Times reporter Mar 23, 2023 The CCSAR-N building was full to the brim with interested attendees. The presentation, hosted by Chaffee County Search and Rescue North and the Buena Vista Public Library, was geared toward backcountry explorers of all levels. Sillars first put the presentation together for the Upper Arkansas Wilderness Volunteers and later began sharing it with SAR as part of their training. “This i ..read more

Spencer McKee Special to Chaffee County Times Mar 22, 2023 While snowmobiles and off-road vehicles are often designed to handle extreme winter conditions, don’t assume that problems will never arise. According to Chaffee County Search and Rescue-North, about 60 percent of missions thus far in 2023 have been related to snowmobilers entering the backcountry and getting stuck in deep snow. Meanwhile, a similar issue of overconfident four-wheel-drive operators was highlighted in a recent incident in which a man used a drone to call for help. Chaffee County Search and Rescue-North recentl ..read more

MT Yale Mission On Friday, November 18th, Chaffee County Search and Rescue – North conducted an operation to rescue a severely injured hiker off of Mt. Yale. At approximately 1600 Chaffee County Dispatch received a SOS activation from a Garmin InReach. A two person party were attempting Mt. Yale via the East Ridge. While descending, one of the parties fell, tumbled about 500’ and came to a stop in the rocks. The subject was face down and not moving. Injuries included broken bones, a head injury, and eventually hypothermia & frostbite. Luckily one of the parties had a Garmin InReach and ma ..read more

     While experience is the best way to learn, CCSAR-N would rather you NOT get your experience during a backcountry rescue. But if you get in trouble we will be there for you, at no cost to you. Our team of volunteers wake up in the middle of the night, miss family events and many dinners to assist people in distress in the Sawatch Range of the Rocky Mountains located in central Colorado. While CCSAR-N can receive funds from The Colorado Outdoor Recreation Search and Rescue (CORSAR) Card program for expense reimbursements CCSAR-N is funded 100% through donations and grants ..read more

Michael A. Rodriguez, Chaffee County Times reporter Aug 24, 2022 Chaffee County Search and Rescue–North saved two climbers trapped above treeline as storms rolled through Sunday afternoon, Aug. 14. The climbers went off route and decided to climb out on the Ellingwood Ridge route of La Plata Peak. They contacted search and rescue after being unable to ascend or descend from their position 200 feet below the ridge. The climbers reported they were unharmed, only unable to move. They also reported that inclement weather had passed them previously and that more appeared to be headed th ..read more

Michael A Rodriguez, Chaffee County Times reporter, 7/28/22 Chaffee County Search and Rescue–North responded to the aid of a hiker at 13,340 feet on the side of Mount Yale Thursday evening. The hiker was reported to be suffering from altitude sickness and was not feeling well July 21, Search and Rescue-North reported on its Facebook page. The hiker was prepared for the hike with water, food, and a flashlight and had reported that they had been drinking lots of water. CCSAR-N instructed the hiker to continue moving down the the mountain and suggested that they try to eat some food to replen ..read more

Michael A Rodriguez, Chaffee County Times Jun 1, 2022 Chaffee County Search and Rescue-North responded to two calls for aid Memorial Day weekend. One call came at 3:45 p.m., Saturday, May 28 from a hiker who was separated from his hiking partner and was suffering from altitude sickness while hiking Mt. Princeton, according to a post on CCSAR-N’s Facebook page. Four members each from Chaffee County Search and Rescue-North and -South took to the field and met the man at 13,500 feet. There they assessed his condition, administered oxygen and helped him hike down the mountain. The group arrived ..read more

by D.J. DeJong Mountain Mail December 4, 2019 Two hikers and a dog were rescued from Mount Belford early Monday morning. Chaffee County Search and Rescue North received a call reporting an overdue hiker on Mount Belford at about 3:45 a.m. Monday. One of the hikers, Alec Landingham, 24, of the Denver area was using a GPS app, AllTrails location tracking. Rebecca Hinds of Chaffee County Search and Rescue North said they did not have the name of the second hiker. A family member was monitoring Landingham’s progress remotely and alerted the county communications center after becoming worried when ..read more

The Mountain Mail, July 30, 2020 Initially identified as Terry Pann, 60 of Nathrop, the body of a man was found at about 1 p.m. today, Chaffee County Sheriff John Spezze reported. “Chaffee County Search and Rescue located the body of a deceased male west of West Apostle Peak,” Spezze wrote in a press release. Search and rescue have been searching for Pann for the past five days after he was reported overdue after hiking in the Ice Mountain Area in northern Chaffee County. Chaffee County Coroner will transport Pann to Salida and an autopsy will be performed to make a positive identification. Se ..read more

by Chaffee County Times Staff, May 29, 2020 The Chaffee County Communications Center received a call of a missing 4-year-old girl May 29 who had wandered away from a residence in the Four Elk Subdivision. The Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office immediately responded and emergency and search personnel were called, according to a press release issued by Chaffee County Sheriff John Spezze late Friday morning. A massive search began immediately. After nearly 2 hours of searching, the girl was located over a mile from where she was last seen. “She was re-united with her very happy parents soon aft ..read more