While most of the attention of hikers and the inevitable corresponding search and rescue missions tends to take place in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, the Wet Mountains can be equally dangerous when the weather changes abruptly. Starting this past Friday, May 30, and extending into Saturday, May 31, the Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office responded to six hikers stranded on Greenhorn Mountain in the far southern Wet Mountains on the borders of Custer, Pueblo, and Huerfano Counties.
Greenhorn is the tallest mountain summit in the Wet Mountain Range, with a peak that rises above the tree line to 12,352 feet above sea level, and despite the name, it is not a place for greenhorn hikers to get experience. Like the rest of the Rocky Mountains, the weather can change so fast that hikers cannot safely descend from the mountain and back to the safety of their vehicles waiting for them at the trailhead.
According to a press release published by the Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office, a group of six Texas hikers began a day hike on Friday near Graneros Creek, southwest of the Town of Rye. After veering off their designated trail, they became disoriented in the dense forest and were unable to find their way back after a large thunderstorm swept the mountain Friday evening. At 7:30 p.m., the hikers contacted emergency services, and a volunteer search and rescue team from Pueblo began an immediate ground search as night descended and heavy rain continued to hammer the mountainside.
During the night, one member of the search and rescue team was injured, but he continued to search until he was unable to proceed.
At dawn break, a second Pueblo Search and Rescue team was joined by members of the Custer County Search and Rescue team. A Flight for Life helicopter was sent to the mountain, but due to the rough and steep terrain, it could not land to extract the hikers or the injured Search and Rescue member.
By 3:30 p.m., a Colorado National Guard Blackhawk Helicopter was deployed that was capable of what is called a “high-angle rescue.” This maneuver requires extensive training to execute safely and is only used on slopes that exceed 60 degrees in steepness. The helicopter crew used a hoist to extract the injured man, who was flown to Rye High School and transported by ambulance to a local hospital for treatment.
At the same time, Custer County Search and Rescue located four of the six hikers on foot. Two of the other hikers had separated from the group in an attempt to find the trail. Pueblo teams found these other two hikers at 4:45 p.m., and all were helped off the mountain before nightfall.
The total mission time exceeded 25 hours, conducted in weather conditions ranging from hot and sunny to freezing temperatures and heavy rain. “This was a very long, difficult, and dangerous operation, and we are thankful for the positive outcome,” said Pueblo County Sheriff David J. Lucero. “Everyone was safely rescued, and although one of our SAR members was injured, we are grateful no one suffered serious harm.”
The Sheriff also took time to thank the collaboration of the various emergency services that responded to the lost hikers. “We want to thank Custer County Search and Rescue, Rye Fire, Flight for Life, and the Division of Fire Protection and Control for their assistance in this search. A special thanks goes to the Colorado Department of Public Safety and the National Guard for the successful rescue of our injured search and rescue team member.”
The outdoor recreation economy in Colorado is estimated to be worth $65.8 billion, but what is not often understood is that it is teams of volunteers who provide the foundation for search and rescue missions in every weather condition and terrain in the State of Colorado. Search and rescue teams receive most of their funding from donations, so please consider contributing to the Custer County Search and Rescue team, which trains throughout the year for both summer and winter missions.
– Jordan Hedberg
