Emergency crews rescue Chicago family stuck on Pueblo County mountain
PUEBLO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) -- Thanksgiving break took a terrifying turn for a Chicago family of five, after a failed attempt to summit a trail in the Greenhorn Mountains of Pueblo County.
According to the Pueblo County Sheriff's Office (PCSO), the family decided to hike the Greenhorn Trailhead Wednesday morning, but as the hours passed they started to lose steam.
PCSO said the three adults and two children were "hampered by effects of the altitude, unexpected snow and their experience level," and as the sun started to set, they realized they were nowhere near finishing the hike and didn't have the necessary food or equipment to make it back.
After the family called 911 for help, PCSO said several of their units including their volunteer Search and Rescue (SAR) team, the Rye Fire Department, and a Flight for Life crew teamed up to rescue the family.
PSCO said the rescue took nearly seven hours, and it started with members of the SAR team getting airlifted by Flight for Life to a peak, where they met up with the family.
As the sun set, PCSO said the SAR team hiked with the family down the mountain and met up with fire personnel on their descent.
The family was met by emergency vehicles at the bottom and other concerned members of their family who hadn't joined them on the hike.
PCSO said the family did the right thing in calling for help. They recommend all hikers are extremely cautious and prepared before embarking on a hike, and they said it's especially important in winter conditions to be aware of your abilities and the trail conditions.
