Rio Grande County Sheriff's office

06/04/2026

On Wednesday, June 3, 2026, at approximately 5:20 PM, Rio Grande County Search and Rescue was advised of an overdue female hiker.

The subject, a woman in her 60s visiting from Texas, had left her residence around 7:30 that morning to hike the Palisade Trail. Friends reported her missing after she had not returned at the time expected. It was reported that she was unfamiliar with the area and lost her way back to her vehicle.

The friends reporting her missing did not know what equipment she had with her, how she was dressed, or if she had taken any water or food.

Crews searched the area unsuccessfully on Wednesday evening and resumed the search early Thursday morning. Her location was established after a successful text message was sent to 911 that generated coordinates mid-morning on Thursday.
Twelve responders worked the search using drones, ground teams on foot, and 4-wheelers. She was located by drone, and contact was made with her at 12:59 PM in Raven Park. She was dehydrated, but otherwise uninjured.

Rio Grande County Search and Rescue was assisted by Colorado Parks and Wildlife, the Mineral County Emergency Manager, and the U.S. Forest Service.

A few reminders for anyone heading out on the trails this season:
Tell someone your plan. Share where you're going and when you expect to be back. Keep your phone charged and consider taking a battery pack or a solar charger.

Dress for the conditions, take layers and pack food and water, even if you only plan to be out for a short time. Plans change quickly on the trail, and what you carry can matter more than you expect.

Respect our elevation. If you're visiting from a lower altitude, your body needs time to adjust. Heading out before you're acclimated puts added stress on you in terrain and weather you may not be used to. Take it slow your first few days.

Know that it's okay to call. If you're turned around or running out of daylight, reach out early. We would always rather respond sooner than later.

Rio Grande County Search and Rescue

Photo from previous Search & Rescue incident

06/03/2026

Don't miss South Fork Neighborhood Watch next week for a CPR/First Aid basics overview!

South Fork CO Police Department
Rio Grande County Sheriff's office
Rio Grande County Public Health

05/27/2026

Endangered Missing Alert Deactivation:
Rayshawn Archuleta has been safely located. Thank you for your assistance.

05/22/2026

In honor of those who have fallen while fighting for our freedom. Please be responsible this holiday weekend. Drive sober, buckle up, be patient, and be safe! Check local restrictions on open burning. Know before you go!

05/13/2026

05/12/2026

Hello South Fork!
Summer season is upon us, and far earlier than expected. After a critically warm and dry winter last year, we've been faced with an even warmer and dryer one this year. To put it into perspective: we were dead last for moisture this year until our recent little shot of snow, which moved us up to… second to dead last. I'd hate to have to make a living on the difference.
I don't want this to be doom and gloom, but I want to be upfront and real with you. We are CRITICALLY dry. We've already had two large incidents in the valley and dozens of smaller ones, and we've had the benefit of available resources and quick response to squash both of them.
Here's where we stand:
The Rio crested two months early. I can't find records to compare this to. We crested in March; it should be early June. I'll leave that there.
I've been monitoring the RAWS stations near us. Fuel moistures have been flirting with what we typically see in August.
Del Norte had a close call in the timber last month that we were fortunate to stop at about 3 acres.
Now, the monsoons COULD arrive, rain all summer, and we wind up in excellent shape. The mid to long range forecast looks okay-ish, but we all know a broken clock is right twice a day.
It all comes together to form one big picture: fire season is really early. The fuels are dry, receptive, and available to burn. Things could change, but fire isn't a monthly analysis. It's an hourly, "right now" hazard.
PLEASE use caution and good old common sense when using fire for camping and cooking. Pay attention to local forecasts. If you need to, call our station at 719-873-1030 option 3 and talk to one of us for a while.
We aren't saying there's a burn ban yet; that'll be determined by a group of peers after a longer data set. But we do ask you to burn responsibly, and help keep our wildland team unemployed in our district.

05/12/2026

May 10th - 16th, 2026

05/02/2026

On April 19, 2026 deputies were dispatched to the area of County Road 28 and County Road 2S for a theft of grounding wire. This incident led to a significant power outage affecting a large area. Deputies followed up on information they were provided. Working in cooperation with other law enforcement agencies, they were able to identify a suspect.

Thirty one year old Monte Vista resident Christopher Brewer was taken into custody on April 22, 2026 for an unrelated case following ex*****on of a search warrant for that case. During the search, additional evidence was located which tied him to the theft of the wire. He was charged with felony criminal mischief, theft, littering, 2nd degree criminal tampering, and an additional charge will be sought through the District Attorney's Office for endangering public utilities, a class 3 felony.

All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.