SAGUACHE COUNTY, Colo. — Saguache County Search and Rescue (SAR) has shared the details of one of its latest successful backcountry rescues.

Around 4 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 10, Saguache SAR responded to an off-road ATV accident in the foothills of Villa Grove. According to SAR, the victim tried to cross a narrow gully in steep terrain when his ATV rolled over and landed on him.

The subject’s friend raced to Villa Grove, which was 10 miles away, to find a telephone. Neither the victim nor his companion had a cellphone or emergency location device with them.

First responders followed the victim’s friend to the accident site. Team members then used UTV vehicles and traveled by foot to reach the accident site.

When first responders reached the victim, they found him lying in a rock-lined gully with uphill terrain on each side and the ATV precariously balanced at his feet.

Due to the location of the patient and the severe nature of his injuries, Reach Air Medical Services responded. A landing zone was established approximately 1.5 miles from the accident scene by Saguache County Sheriff’s Office Deputies.

Team members loaded the patient onto a backboard, and then transferred him to the bed of a pickup truck for the remaining trip to the landing zone.

The combined factors of location, terrain, nature of injuries, and dropping temperatures all factored into a challenging back country rescue.

SAR thanked the agencies that helped with the rescue including Saguache County Sheriff Department, Northern Saguache County Ambulance District, REACH Air Medical Services, and the Bureau of Land Management Law Enforcement.