Chaffee County Search and Rescue - South

08/26/2026

08/23/2026

August 23, 2026

CHAFFEE COUNTY SEARCH & RESCUE SOUTH RESPONDS TO MCCOY GULCH INJURY

Chaffee County SAR South (CCSARS) was paged the afternoon of Saturday August 22 for a report of a hiker who had sustained a serious leg injury after falling down a waterfall descending the west ridges of Tabeguache Peak.

Chaffee SAR South quickly mobilized a hasty team alongside a Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office Sergeant / Paramedic and a second Paramedic from Chaffee County EMS, carrying medical gear and technical rescue equipment. Additional teams from Chaffee County SAR North and South responded with additional ropes and supplies.

SAR teams mobilized to an established staging point below McCoy Gulch off CR 240 and ascended the ridge line to a point above the patient. The CCSO sergeant/paramedic rappelled down to their location in the gully below, assessed and stabilized the patient for a raise. The remainder of the hasty team on the ridgeline above set up a raising system, and raised the paramedic and patient out of the gully to the ridgeline. On the ridge line, the patient was re-assessed by the CCEMS Paramedic, and received further medical interventions. Teams transferred the patient to a basket and lowered them through two rope evolutions to a lower angle slope where the big wheel was attached to the basket, and the patient was moved to CR 240.

Upon reaching the staging area, the patient was evaluated by a SAR Team Physician and cleared to travel in a personal vehicle to the hospital.

The location in McCoy Gulch where the patient fell and sustained their leg injury is well known to CCSAR South, and over the years we have responded to very similar injuries in that location of varying severities. The hazards present in McCoy Gulch are well documented and publicized, and the Jennings Creek / West Ridges of Tabeguache Peak, while still a viable and gorgeous approach to Tabeguache Peak, should be well planned and approached with caution.

In this case, a party of two hikers descending the west ridges of Tabeguache became separated during an early afternoon squall. One of the hikers saw the Forest Service signs warning not to descend into McCoy Gulch and was able to regain the trail, descending safely to their vehicle at Jennings Creek. The other hiker found themselves in the Gulch and as many others before her have discovered, found that the gentle creek quickly turns into a tight canyon with little opportunity to escape from. The waterfalls increase in size and complexity, and often result in injury or require SAR assistance to escape from.

Thanks as always to our friends and neighbors in Chaffee County Search and Rescue North, Chaffee County EMS, and the Chaffee County Sheriff's Office for their response and assistance during this mission.

Chaffee County Search and Rescue – South (CCSAR-S), like all SAR teams in Colorado, is a 100% unpaid volunteer organization serving the southern portion of Chaffee County, Colorado. Members have one thing in common, a desire to help others who are lost or hurt in the backcountry. We never charge for services.

07/14/2026

It’s been a busy two days for Chaffee County SAR South, beginning with a carryout on Browns Creek Trail on Sunday July 12. SAR was paged with Chaffee County EMS for a medical emergency on the trail approximately 1 mile from the trailhead. SAR responded concurrently with EMS and evacuated the patient via big-wheel to the ambulance.

Shortly after refueling vehicles and members from that call, we received a call for assistance from Custer County SAR for a carryout from below Broken Hand Pass. Several members were effectively in the field from 1:30pm on Browns Creek Trail until 6am July 13th when the carryout from Broken Hand Pass was completed.

On Monday July 13, SAR was notified of an injured hiker above the saddle on Mt. Shavano. The hiker was ambulatory, but had been injured in a fall. As SAR was mobilizing a team to respond, we received word from the reporting party that they had encountered a trail crew from the Colorado Fourteeners Initiative who had splinted the subjects injury and was going to es**rt them back to the trailhead. Our SAR incident command team remained in communication with them until they were safely at their vehicle. Thanks for the help!

07/14/2026

Always happy to help our neighbors.

07/13/2026

“It is the hike on its best day, in its best light, with the turnarounds, the weather, and the risk cropped out of frame.”

A good read shared by Alpine Rescue Team

Moving the backcountry safety conversation past internet outrage and onto the platforms shaping human behavior.

07/04/2026

Please remember we are under Stage 2 Fire Restrictions for all of Chaffee County including all municipalities and public land. All forms of fireworks are banned. Please help us keep our county safe and beautiful. Report all violations please!

07/03/2026

July 3, 2026

CHAFFEE COUNTY SEARCH & RESCUE SOUTH BEGINS 4TH OF JULY WEEKEND

Chaffee County SAR South (CCSARS) was paged the evening of July 2nd, around 6pm for a report of a hiker vomiting blood and exhibiting signs of altitude sickness around 11,000’ north of Mt. Ouray in the Little Cochetopa Creek drainage. CCSARS responded with ATV and e-bike teams, and requested assistance from Salida based REACH29 given the potential for a life-threatening condition. As SAR teams arrived at Marshall Pass to mobilize up the CDT to the Little Cochetopa trail, REACH29 was able to land near the hiker, load the patient with assistance from the flight nurse and paramedic and transport them to Heart of the Rockies Regional Medical Center in Salida. During that time frame, our mission coordinators received additional information from the reporting party that the original subject was part of a group of 9 additional teenage hikers and camp counselors on a guided trip up Mt. Ouray. The remaining group members reported they were out of food and water, and additional subjects were in need of assistance. The SAR teams already at Marshall Pass for the first subject extracted by REACH continued to the Little Cochetopa trail and hiked over the continental divide to reach the subjects below the basin at the head of the drainage.

Upon reaching the main group of subjects at around 8:30pm, SAR medical personnel assessed the most significantly dehydrated of the group and provided food, water and electrolytes to all. After rehydration and food, the group began hiking back up the Little Cochetopa trail to the CDT for a shuttle from Marshall Pass. As none of the teenage subjects had lights, they were closely es**rted in groups by SAR members over the divide, and down the CDT to ATV’s staged at the end of the two-track north of Marshall Pass, and from there were shuttled to the Marshall Pass trailhead. The most significantly dehydrated of the group was closely monitored and assisted, but was able to hike out under their own power and was transferred to Chaffee County EMS for transport to HRRMC.

All teams and subjects were out of the field by 01:30 July 3.

This mission, like many missions has some valuable lessons to remember. Though the guides thought they were prepared to take a group of teenage hikers and counselors on a summit attempt and make it back to camp, a variety of events lead to their activation of SAR. It is one of the hottest weekends of the summer so far, and combined with significant smoke from the wildfires in the state and lack of acclimatization, the group quickly ran out of most of their water and food on their climb to the summit of Ouray. Once successfully summitting, they continued to move much slower than anticipated, and many of their group began vomiting, leading to further dehydration. They were unable to make it back to their camp site in the drainage. Once dusk arrived, the group did not have lights or additional warm layers for all members of the group.

We often talk about the 10 essentials, and admittedly they often are just extra weight in your pack. However, when events conspire against your trip plan, the essentials are exactly that; essential. Extra food, water and clothing that seemed like a burden suddenly becomes invaluable. Pack for the unexpected. When your trip goes well, the extra weight becomes an afterthought. When your trip goes wrong, you’ll be very glad you had your supplies. This also means having enough supplies for your entire group, especially if you are guiding.

This group did have good communications equipment and did stick together, allowing SAR to efficiently perform the rescue. However, they were certainly unprepared for how their hike turned out. We are glad all in the group made it off the mountain, but it was a close call for at least two of the party.

Chaffee County Search and Rescue – South (CCSAR-S), like all SAR teams in Colorado, is a 100% unpaid volunteer organization serving the southern portion of Chaffee County, Colorado. Members have one thing in common, a desire to help others who are lost or hurt in the backcountry. SAR services in Colorado are always free of charge.

07/02/2026

Do your part to prevent wildfire.

As we celebrate 250 years of American independence, remember that fireworks are prohibited on public lands.

Possessing, igniting, discharging or using any kind of fireworks is prohibited on national forests and grasslands.

05/01/2026

https://www.themountainmail.com/opinion/dear-editor-sar-thanks-community-for-support/article_8e646ace-a5af-48e4-9fff-7aad76c74379.html

Dear Editor: On behalf of Chaffee County Search and Rescue – South, we extend our deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of Kaden Sites.

04/26/2026