(ALAMOSA, Colo.) — The Alamosa Volunteer Search and Rescue (AVSAR) assisted a hiker who was in distress and had become ill in the Sangre de Cristo mountain range earlier this week.
On Sunday evening, Nov. 17, AVSAR was requested to assist the Saguache County Search and Rescue Team (SAGSAR) reach the hiker who reported he was very cold, and could no longer feel his feet or walk. The hiker had set out earlier that morning with the intention of camping at Willow Lake, but the five-mile hike took him ten hours.
REACH 71 accepted the helicopter assistance and began the rescue mission. At around 2:30 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 18, the team decided to send the helicopter and attempt to extract the hiker, however, the pilot could not find a suitable landing zone and decided to insert two AVSAR team members instead.
The two rescue team members arrived at the hiker’s location at around 3:30 a.m. and immediately began assessing the hiker, providing him with warm foods and liquids. According to AVSAR, the hiker was showing signs of acute mountain sickness and was borderline hypothermic, the rescue team said the hiker was wearing all his layers, with trail running shoes and gaiters. The rescue team also provided him with warming pads, hot liquids, and a fire.
According to AVSAR, the hiker had a stove, but when the striker on the stove did not work, he assumed it was broken.
“Had the stove worked, he could have possibly warmed himself enough to get out,” the rescue team wrote via Facebook.
After a few hours, the hiker had improved but was still not able to make the trip back. Once again, REACH 71 accepted the mission and at around 10:30 a.m. the hiker was extracted from the mountain. He refused any medical care and stated he ‘was feeling much better.’
AVSAR wants to remind hikers to be prepared for changing weather in the Sangres and to wear appropriate clothing and shoes. Trail running shoes are not adequate in deep snow and freezing temperatures.
“Know your limits!” the rescue team wrote. “If you are in over your head, know when to call a stop and turn around. Have the proper gear for the environment you are in and know how to use it.”
