A small contingent of Custer County Search & Rescue (CCSAR) volunteers traveled to the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs this past Thursday, October 6th, where they participated in a Winter Safety Expo, along with members of El Paso County SAR. Of the more than 4,000 cadets at the AFA, an estimated 3,500 were on hand during a mid-day presentation to formally thank and recognize CCSAR members for the May 13th rescue of four Air Force Academy cadets.
While on a 96-hour leave following their final exams last May, one of the four young men fell approximately 200 feet from a ridge near Spread Eagle Peak in the Sangre de Cristo Wilderness. Three other members of the group were not able to reach him but could see he was injured and contacted 911. CCSAR worked with REACH Air Medical Services and the Colorado Army National Guard (COARNG), who were both activated to reach the injured man.
Once in the field, two medical personnel from the Reach crew and three members of CCSAR were able to stabilize the man until members of the Colorado Hoist Rescue Team (CHRT) arrived on scene. The subject was then flown by a COARNG UH-60 with CHRT hoist technicians from Rocky Mountain Rescue Group and Vail Mountain Rescue to the Custer SAR Base for a transfer to the Reach aircraft and transport to Level 1 Trauma Center in Colorado Springs. While the urgent rescue and hoist operation was underway, a second response to locate and extract the other 3 cadets had also begun as they were off-route and descending in unfamiliar terrain in the dark. Two ground teams began hiking toward the group and with coordination from the Operations team, utilized SMS locators, a mapping feature of SAR Topo, to track their location and movements and eventually reach them. The cadets were then able to hike out with the CCSAR teams. The incident response demonstrated the complexity of SAR operations, including resource mobilization and the coordination of multiple aerial and ground assets. Regular updates to their commanding officer were also coordinated, as well as collaboration with a Colorado Search and Rescue Association State Coordinator. Life support efforts were also a critical component of the rescue.
Brigadier General Paul D. Moga, Commandant of Cadets, was on hand to formally acknowledge the life saving efforts of CCSAR members, along with Major Nicholas Conover, the cadets’ commanding officer at the time and Jeff Sparhawk, Executive Director of the Colorado Search and Rescue Association.
Backcountry safety is a key message of the Colorado Search and Rescue Association, as well as that of CCSAR and other backcountry search and rescue teams throughout the state. The Winter Safety Expo event was an opportunity to speak individually with cadets who took time out to visit the displays and seek advice. As we like to point out, everything can change in an instant.
This isn’t the first time CCSAR has been involved in response for active military personnel. In 2019, CCSAR assumed command for a multi-day search and the ultimate recovery of Lieutenant Colonel Dan Wallick, who was stationed at Schriever Air Force Base in East Colorado Springs. During that incident, teams from Custer, Saguache, Douglas and Fremont counties searched for Wallick, as well as state and federal aviation assets.
Thursday’s recognition by the AFA cadets and their command staff was received with appreciation by the CCSAR team. Additionally, learning that their former classmate had recently been discharged from a VA facility, and is now continuing his recovery at home, with family and friends, has truly warmed our hearts. CCSAR Team members are among those family, friends and classmates that are grateful that against all odds, this young man is alive today. We wanted to share our gratitude with members of our community and thank each of you who support our mission, through your generous contributions during the annual Wet Mountain Valley Community Foundation’s Spirit Campaign.
Footnote
*Last year, 2,442 professional Backcountry Search and Rescue volunteers responded to 2,735 incidents in Colorado’s backcountry. While Custer County SAR only saw 21 incidents in 2021, the 32 rostered local volunteers at the time, contributed 8,467 hours to administrative tasks, safety education, training and missions throughout the year.
