Montezuma County Search and Rescue

05/03/2026

At 7:30 one October morning, Western Mountain Rescue Team (WMRT) received a call about a hunter who had injured his leg when he fell crossing a stream.  He was in a steep-walled valley at the intersection of the Beaver Creek trail and the Little Mill Creek trail and could not walk.  The team had r...

04/26/2026

04/19/2026

This weekend, 10 of our team members got certified in Wilderness First Aid! ⛑️

They practiced patient assessments, learned about managing injuries and illnesses in wilderness settings, and practiced their teamwork and communication skills to effectively manage multi-patient scenarios.

While we hope you never need us, our team is ready!

04/18/2026

🔥 Prescribed Burn Notice – Boggy Draw Area 🔥

The San Juan National Forest Dolores Ranger District is planning a prescribed burn in the Boggy Draw area off FS Road 527 (Boggy Loop Road), approximately 5 miles northeast of the Town of Dolores, beginning Sunday, April 19th.

Crews will be burning Units 25A–C, totaling approximately 1,212 acres, using both aerial and hand ignitions. See the attached map. Burning operations are expected to be completed over 1–2 days, depending on favorable weather conditions and smoke limitations.

🚨 Important Reminder:
Please do not call dispatch to report smoke in this area. Dispatch has been notified and is aware of the planned burn.

Smoke may be visible throughout the area, thank you for your understanding as Forest Service crews work to reduce wildfire risk and improve forest health.

04/03/2026

By Bruce Beckmann, CSAR deputy chief state coordinator and Alpine Rescue Team member. Cover photo by Jan Rasmussen. “Getting to the top is optional. Getting down is mandatory.” ― Ed Viesturs In September of 2013, Mark Stice of Arvada was reported overdue by his wife after failing to return fr...

03/23/2026

The heat wave brought the river up early. We paddled the several miles above Dolores today at about 460-480 cfs. About 400 is generally considered the minimum flow for small boats, and about 800 is generally considered the minimum for full-size rafts. If you go, dress to swim (drysuit or wetsuit, PFD) -- this water is very cold!

03/19/2026

Wildfire season is around the corner—are you prepared?

Join us for an important Community Wildfire Information Meeting to learn how you can protect your home, your property, and your loved ones. Local experts will share updates on current fire conditions, tips for creating defensible space, and how to safely conduct controlled burns before fire season ramps up.

Tuesday, March 24
BOCC Meeting Room
109 W Main Street, Room 250, Cortez
6:00- 8:00 pm

This is your chance to ask questions, get informed, and take action before one spark turns into something bigger.

One spark. One mistake. One wildfire. Let’s work together to prevent it.

We hope to see you there!

03/10/2026

Avalanche Close Calls – Please Let Us Know

We'd like to encourage anyone involved in an avalanche in the future to please notify us of the incident, even if everyone is okay.

On March 8th Grand County Search and Rescue responded to a report of an avalanche on Berthoud Pass where there were tracks going into the slide but no confirmed tracks coming out. Because no one could confirm that everyone made it out safely, search and rescue resources had to respond and investigate.

These situations require rescuers to enter avalanche terrain and search debris fields, which can be dangerous. They also pull valuable resources away from other potential emergencies.

🚁 Flight For Life Colorado assisted today with air reconnaissance and an aerial transceiver search. They are an incredible partner and an important resource across the state, so we want to make sure those resources are used where they are truly needed.

If you are caught in an avalanche or witness one, even if everyone is okay, please notify authorities. We would much rather receive a call that everyone made it out safely than wonder if someone may still be buried.

If you have information about an avalanche:
📞 Call 911 with any details that could help rescuers
📝 Submit an observation to the Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC)

Your report can help prevent unnecessary rescue responses and reduce risk to rescuers searching avalanche debris.

Most importantly, it helps confirm that everyone made it home safely - which is the outcome we’re always hoping for. We would absolutely love to hear that everyone was able to ski out safely from a close call.

Stay safe out there and Know Before You Go. Check the avalanche forecast and carry the necessary avalanche safety gear.

Colorado Avalanche Information Center - Submit a Report: https://avalanche.state.co.us/observations/observation-report

Grand County Sheriff's Office Non-Emergency Dispatch: 970-725-3311

02/27/2026

MCSAR field training this month was jam-packed as we put our new drone (thank you again, ) to work alongside our pilot, Eddy, and teamed up with Classic Air for a joint drill.

It’s always an incredible experience bringing all our resources together for such valuable training.

02/24/2026

Twenty-three new members were sworn in by Sheriff Nowlin at last night’s team meeting!

Our team continues to grow each month — not just in numbers, but in skill, training, and dedication to serving Montezuma County.

Thank you to every volunteer who steps up to serve our community.

01/24/2026

AVALANCHE DANGER: CONSIDERABLE

A SPECIAL AVALANCHE ADVISORY is in effect from Friday evening through Sunday for the San Juan Mountains. A winter storm will dramatically change conditions, making it easy for backcountry travelers to trigger dangerous avalanches this weekend.

Expect rapidly changing conditions as new snow and wind form cohesive slabs over weak snow on many slopes. You are likely to trigger avalanches where you find more than a foot of new snow on slopes steeper than about 35 degrees. The most dangerous slopes will be those where winds have drifted snow into deeper, stiffer slabs on north-, northeast-, and east-facing slopes at upper elevations. Travel in backcountry avalanche terrain will require cautious route finding to stay safe.

-- Colorado Avalanche Information Center - CAIC