Nine hikers subject of search and rescue operation near Agnes Vaille Falls
The Chaffee County communications center was notified late Thursday of an emergency alert from a hiker’s beacon about a half mile above Agnes Vaille Falls. Relatives of the hikers contacted the sheriff‚s office to request that a search and rescue mission be mounted. However, the late hour, approaching darkness, and hazardous terrain prevented action until the following morning (Friday).
At about 7am Friday, Chaffee County Search and Rescue volunteers began the hike into the area indicated by the beacon signal. Other volunteers assembled at the SAR building in Buena Vista for a briefing and then traveled to the staging area near the Agnes Vaille Falls trailhead.
At about 8:50am, a volunteer rescuer made contact with one of the hikers who had begun to walk out in search of help. The hikers, nine men ages 38 to 42, two from Denver and the others visiting from Indiana, were reported to be uninjured, although one is suffering from apparent altitude sickness. Apparently the men began their hike at the Grouse Canyon trailhead intending a four-day backpacking excursion. Somewhere they took a wrong turn and descended into terrain that was beyond their ability to traverse, at which time they activated the emergency beacon.
By 4pm, all nine hikers had been safely escorted from the mountain by Search and Rescue volunteers. The entire operation required nine hours and involved 15 to 18 Search and Rescue volunteers.
CHAFFEE COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE
Salida, Colorado
For release Friday, July 15, 2011
I hope they receive a bill in the mail…
Check out Colorado Search and Rescue Fund at: http://www.coloradosarboard.org/csrb-COSARFund.asp
Then grow up….
That’s my family you’re talking about, Bud. I’m currently deployed over-seas and have to read a comment like that? You should be ashamed of yourself. Also, you might want to be cognizant of the word “Volunteer” that appears five times in this article.
Very thankful to all who helped in the rescue search for my step-son and his friends. And, for all the support and prayers from family and friends. God heard amd
God heard and answered those prayers.
And Thank you Jason for your compassion.
Unbelievable…….
So glad they all are safe…I agree with beth and bill…this Jason must be a cold hearted jerk. These people did not want to get lost, guess you’ve never spent time in a desert. They are all someone’s family. If you don’t have something nice to say… shut it
So calling him a cold hearted jerk is ok…maybe you should follow your own advice.
My friends and I were hiking at Agnes Vaille Falls at 7am that morning when the rescuers came. We prayed for the missing hikers and for the rescuers. Having climbed Mt. Princeton before, I know it would not be hard to miss the trail. We’ve been searching for news about the rescue attempt and praying for a happy ending. Glad that it all worked out and happy to know the rescuers are willing to go the extra mile “climb” to help others. What great work you all do!
Young, There is a happy ending to the story. All 9 are home safe with their families thanks to the combined efforts of SPOT, Chaffee County Sheriff’s Department and, of course, the Chaffee County Search and Rescue Team. None of these organizations will be sending an invoice for their services as we pay to own the SPOT device, taxes cover the Sheriffs, and the SAR Team is made up of volunteers. We are kind and generous people and would pay any amount asked to have our husbands returned to us safely.
In this spirit, we will be hosting a fundraiser to raise money to support the Chaffee County SAR. We will be accepting donations from all over – from Indiana to Colorado to Chicago to Savannah and everywhere in between. I’m sure Bill (my brother) will even chip in a few bucks all the way from overseas.
We are grateful for what these men and women were able to do for us and thankful for the gifts they gave us on the mountain that day. Raising money for them is just one way we can show them how happy our children our to have their daddies back.
Thank you Chafffee County SAR!
Here is the link to the story the local news did on the boys once they were back in town … They were the lead story on the 6 & 10 PM news on Sunday Night! It may not seem like a big deal to many people, but I’ve never been happier to see these goofy guys on TV. They made it home, and that’s all that matters!
http://www.14wfie.com/story/15096295/evansville-hikers-rescued-from-mountain-in-colorado
Kelly, What a great story! Thanks for the link to the news story. We are so glad everyone is back home safely. Ever since I spoke with the search and rescue team that morning, I was very concerned and I was praying for everyone’s safe return.
I enjoy climbing 14ers and hiking also. Since I got home from Mt. Princeton and shared this story with my husband, he bought me my own SPOT satellite locator “just in case.” Having climbed Mt. Princeton last year, I know it would be very easy to take a wrong turn and end up on the back side of the mountain as your hikers did.
They like a bunch of wusses to me who are just looking for their 15 minutes of fame. How many grown men from Evansville, IN does it take to get off Mt. Princeton without calling on a full fledged S&R operation when they’re not in a dangerous situation at all? Apparently more than 9!
A bunch of sissys for sure. Especially considering how bright it was on Thursday night. L7 weinies from out of state!!! Would have been a great night to climb Princeton. Just shows how dumb some people can be. But then again, these guys DID navigate a raft up there, gotta hand it to them, I couldn’t do that. LWIS
“Bill
July 17, 2011 at 8:19 am | Permalink | Reply
That’s my family you’re talking about, Bud. I’m currently deployed over-seas and have to read a comment like that? You should be ashamed of yourself. Also, you might want to be cognizant of the word “Volunteer” that appears five times in this article.” Ashamed indeed….to be related to these fools. Hopefully when you make it back stateside you can…
A. Help them remove their heads from their —> ( | )
&
B. Give them a Band Aid, Tampon and Nightlight
Bill each of these 9 aspiring Indiana Jones wanna be’s.
Please if you do come back to Colorado….visit Sterling, or Byers…somewhere we know you won’t be stranded and left for dead once again.
You wasted time, money and peoples energy….you are all lucky no one was in real danger that day who would have actually needed that rescue team.
Pansies, true and blue!
I have been reading the responses and there is a lot of misinformation. The high angle team mobilized at 6AM. We were told there were 6,not 9 stranded hikers. They were on a 1 day hike not a 4 day hike. They were at 10,600 ft, about 1 mile above Agnes Vaille Falls. They only had day packs with them and tried to come down the drainage above the falls thinking it was passable. When we got to them they were dehydrated, hungry and very tired. The rescue took 12 hours. All nine were belayed 12 different high angle pitches. We had to cut up a climbing rope and make swami belts and pressicks. The last rescue victim got out at 7PM. The last rescue volunteer was down by 8PM. No one has ever come down that drainage successfully without rope and equipment. People have died in there in the past. 2 of the high angle team rappeled down without helmets giving up our equipment to the lost parties. I rappeled down on webbing giving up my harness to the lost parties. The 9 people rescued made a big mistake by going down that drainage. They were very appreciative for being rescued. Chaffee County Search and Rescue is a non profit organization and we are not funded by taxes. We raise all of our money from donations. We all use a lot of our own equipment and volunteer our time. Any donation will be put to good use for the next mission.If you go into the back country you should buy a hiking /hunting or fishing license and search and rescue can get reimbursed. No one has the right to say who should or should not get rescued. Everyone in need will be rescued.
Thank you. From the bottom of my heart, thank you. Because of you and your team members, my 3 nephews don’t have to grow up with out a dad. You and your team truly are amazing and generous individuals.
Hey George, What is your real name in case someone wants to commend you and your team in a letter to the editor, or possibly make a donation?
Jason, Thomas, Eric Estrada, Trevonn. I’d say most of these guys in the story were pissing Colorado water before you were born. I don’t know if any of you have ever been in the mountains before but things like this do happen ALL the time. I’m going to go ahead and blame your parents for you guys being slightly retarted.
Have a nice day.
Robin,
Donations can be made to Chaffee County Search and Rescue South PO Box 313, Poncha Springs, CO 81242. You need to state which rescue you would like to support. There are many George Haydukes. One way of doing community service is helping people in the backcountry. This also puts people in direct contact with wilderness ecosystems. Anyone and everyone who is an environmental activist and supports the preservation of planet Earth is a George Hayduke. A healthy planet will equal a healthy society and ensure a healthy future for all sentient beings. Chaffee County Search and rescue has already been on 2 other search and rescue missions since the Agnes Vaille falls mission.
Tis true…many Georges, many Georgias! Thank you Edward Abbey!! Thanks C – I will make sure that you are on the list as a beneficiary next year, for Thursdays at 6:00.
Hey all – At The Citizen we appreciate your comments. You can make up a name, though many readers frown on it, and in surveys most people have said they simply ignore names like Paul Bunyon —especially if Mr. Bunyon is being critical of others. If your real name is Paul Bunyon (and you have a blue ox) we’d like to meet you.
That said, IF you chose to employ an alias (some folks use the word “hide behind”), please use a last name as well. There has been some confusion about who is writing. Consider three Bill’s having a discussion?
Please remember the rules which we attach to the bottom of every story; before you hit submit, take a minute and read them. “Keep it clean, keep it civil, keep it truthful, stay on topic, be responsible, share your knowledge, and please suggest removal of comments that violate these standards.”
This wide open format only works if everyone treats others as if they are standing next to each other at a children’s soccer game on a sunny Colorado morning.
Thanks! —and we are glad all worked out up at the falls.
in positivity,
-bd