On Friday, May 13, 2022 at 1500 Custer County SAR was dispatched to help a climber who, according to the reporting party, had fallen approximately 200 feet from a ridge near Spread Eagle Peak. Three other members of the group were not able to reach him but could see he was injured. REACH Air Medical Services and Colorado Army National Guard (COANG) were both activated to work with CCSAR to reach the injured man. Once in the field, two medical personnel from the Reach Team and three members of CCSAR were able to stabilize the climber until members of the Colorado Hoist Rescue Team arrived on scene. The subject was then flown by COANG to the SAR Base for a nose-to-nose transfer with Reach for transport to the hospital. Two ground teams were also fielded to support the party of three who were descending through unfamiliar and difficult terrain in the dark. All parties were out of the field by 2345. We extend our deep gratitude to our partners at Reach for their invaluable assistance in the field, to COANG and the Colorado Hoist Rescue team, and to Colorado Search and Rescue Association – CSAR for their behind-the-scenes support. We couldn’t have done this with out them.
We would like to take this opportunity to remind folks of variable spring weather conditions in the area. Expect patchy snow, rushing creeks, downed trees and difficult travel even on-trail. The freeze/thaw cycle transitioning from winter conditions can create a dangerous environment with especially loose, crumbly terrain particularly along cliff edges and areas with high exposure. We advise carrying the 10 Essentials and keep in mind that rescue missions can take several hours to complete.
