CCSAR-N rescues hiker during snowstorm
Max R. Smith Chaffee Couty Times reporter, Nov 15, 2023 A hiker who set out towards the summit of a thirteener earlier this month with just a cotton hoodie to protect against winter weather was safely extracted by Chaffee County Search and Rescue after being caught in a snowstorm. About 25 rescuers from CCSAR North and South were deployed to the thirteener on the evening of Nov. 8, with more than five assisting with incident command from the CCSAR-N bay. The hiker had no food or water or way to warm themselves aside from the hoodie, a CCSAR-N Facebook post said. “With darkness approaching and hypothermia setting in,” CCSAR-N wrote, “the individual decided, rather than take the same way down the best plan was to bail down an avalanche chute to try to get to a road.” The hiker had a phone, but SAR could not obtain GPS data from it. The hiker told SAR dispatch that they were in an avalanche chute east of Cottonwood Lake. Rescuers advised them to continue moving down the couloir. CCSAR-N began its mission at 7 p.m. amid a severe snowstorm, searching several avalanche chutes on the mountain from bottom to top. At about 12:42 a.m., one team descended into a gully and found footprints in 6-8 inches of new snow. Following the footprints, the team found “an unusual-looking rock” at 2 a.m. “Upon further investigation it was determined it was not a rock but the subject sitting upright in a fetal position covered in snow,” CCSAR-N wrote. The hiker was alive, “but very hypothermic.” Rescue teams next spent three hours warming the hiker...Falling boulder hits hiker on Colorado 14er, prompting helicopter extraction
Spencer McKee, Denver Gazette; Oct. 10, 2023 Among the highest reaches of Colorado, loose rock tends to be ample, making it crucial to proceed with extreme caution when above treeline. A search and rescue response that took place near the end of September highlighted this risk, when a hiker on the 14,077-foot Mount Columbia was struck by a falling boulder, sustaining an injury and requiring emergency rescue via a helicopter. At about 9:30 a.m. on September 25, Chaffee County Search and Rescue North got a request for help on the heavily-trafficked Collegiate Range peak. With the group able to provide their GPS location via a Garmin inReach device, the search and rescue team was able to insert a team member on a nearby ridge via helicopter, with this team member making contact with the group at about 11:50 a.m. The rescue subject reported that he was hit by a rock that tumbled down from above on the mountainside, which resulted in a likely lower arm fracture and an open laceration. While no additional rescuers were needed at the scene, a Helitack helicopter was rescued to bring the rescue subject and search and rescue team member from the technical terrain. By 1:30 p.m., both people were safely extracted and back at the aircraft bay. The subject was transported via Chaffee County EMS to Salida for treatment. Additional information about the condition of the rescue subject was not released, but given that the incident involved an arm fracture, it’s likely the patient will make a recovery. That being said, a situation like this is a good reminder that it could have been...Hiker calls 911 due to shakes and vomiting after getting stuck on 14er overnight
Hiker calls 911 due to shakes and vomiting after getting stuck on 14er overnight Spencer McKee, The Denver Gazette; Oct. 9, 2023 A high-elevation mountain rescue that took place last month in Colorado brought with it an important lesson that’s even more so crucial to pay attention to as the transition into colder fall weather continues. On September 13, a 73-year-old male set out to summit the 14,075-foot Mount Columbia near Buena Vista. He was successful in reaching the top of the peak, but quickly ran into trouble on his descent. As rain, snow, and fog rolled in, the man found it difficult to keep proceeding down the mountain, opting to stop and spend a night above treeline at close to 14,000 feet of elevation. The man made this decision despite not being prepared for a night in this type of terrain, with only a windbreaker, sweatshirt, jacket, and headlamp. The next morning, the man resumed his trek down the mountain before dawn, though he opted to call 911 for assistance due to experiencing extreme cold, shaking, and vomiting. His call placed him at about 13,700 feet of elevation on the eastern side of the peak. The man was advised to stop heading downhill and to wait for search and rescue given the extreme terrain he would have entered if he continued on his trajectory. By about 8:00 a.m., the hiker was spotted via helicopter and determined to be medically stable, soon flown to Denver’s Swedish Hospital for further evaluation. This incident highlights several important pieces of knowledge that all hikers in Colorado’s backcountry should be aware of. First...CCSAR-N offers backcountry weather ed class
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 is really the first public event,” Sillars said. “Search and Rescue has called me every year since then as part of their spring academy training, so what I do is basically for new members.” The idea for the event and the partnership with the library, Sillars said, came from Gina Lucrezi, training director for CCSAR-N. “She must have talked to somebody at the library,” he aid. “It was not long after I gave my presentation here that I heard from Sarah (Greenberg).” The event did prove popular – it was standing-room only – and attendees sat with rapt attention throughout and asked questions as the presentation wrapped. Attendees brought a wide range of experience, as well, with some able to identify specific places on trails where Sillars had taken photos. “I wasn’t sure there were gonna be that many people but it was a nice mix,” Sillars said, “apparently from different areas.” One of the main features of Sillars’ presentation was understanding how to prepare for changes at higher altitudes, whether due to increased sun exposure, thinner air or unexpected...Donate to CCSARN
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