SAGUACHE COUNTY, Colorado – A solo hiker launched a multi-agency overnight rescue in Saguache County, Colorado, with Custer County Search and Rescue sharing the details with the public. The large scale rescue effort began Sunday afternoon after the hiker activated their Garmin In-Reach and ran into Monday morning.
Coordinates received from the In-Reach placed the hiker at 13,400 ft in Kirk Couloir, a narrow couloir splitting cliffs between Kit Carson and Challenger peaks. Mixed rock, snow, and ice conditions left the hiker stranded on a narrow ledge without the ability to ascend or descend.
The large scale rescue effort was successful, with the hiker transferred to Flight For Life Colorado before being flown to an area hospital. They were treated and later released. Agencies involved in the rescue include Custer County SAR, Saguache County Search & Rescue, Saguache County Office of Emergency Management, Chaffee County Search and Rescue РSouth, Alamosa Volunteer Search And Rescue, Colorado Search and Rescue Association РCSAR, Ca̱on Helitack, Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control, Flight For Life Colorado, Colorado Army National Guard, and the Colorado Hoist Rescue Team.
“Custer County Search and Rescue would like to remind recreationalists that while winter conditions have arrived in the Colorado mountains, winter routes are not fully established. You may find locally heavy ice beginning to form, areas holding snow, along with shorter days and overnight freezing temperatures. Rescues can take hours to organize, aviation assets are weather and often daylight dependent, and back-country users need to be self-sufficient while waiting on rescue resources to arrive.” – Custer County Search and Rescue
14ers.com marks Kirk Couloir as a Class 3 ascent with considerable exposure. It includes a total gain of 5,400 feet and it’s total route length is 12.75 miles. They note that the route should only be climbed consolidated, stable snow in the spring or early summer. Crampons, a helmet, an axe and avalanche gear are all recommended for this route.