Two injured campers safely airlifted from Sangre de Cristos thanks to rescue team efforts

ALAMOSA, Colo. (KRDO) – Two injured campers were airlifted to safety Saturday morning following a multi-agency rescue effort after the duo became stranded in a remote area near Deadman Lakes in the Sangre de Cristo range.

According to Alamosa Volunteer Search and Rescue (AVSAR), the two campers intended to camp in the remote area for several days, but during their ascent, they were injured and came down with acute mountain sickness – driving them to send a distress signal from a Garmin inReach device on Friday, May 2.

AVSAR quickly began communicating with the two, who managed to build a fire and shelter for the night despite dropping temperatures. Before dawn, the rescue crew teamed up with Saguache County Search and Rescue (SAGSAR) to send out a ground team on foot, hoping to reach the pair while coordinators worked with aviation crews to discuss airlifting options.

The campers' conditions only worsened overnight – leading Colorado Search and Rescue to call in the Colorado Army National Guard for an "urgent hoist operation," AVSAR said.

While they prepared a Black Hawk helicopter to airlift the two, the ground crew continued the long trek up to the campers, and an air medical helicopter from Global Medical Response (GMR) in Alamosa flew into the drainage to verify the campers' exact location and identify landing zones.

At 9:35 a.m. on May 3, just hours after the campers had called for help, they were successfully airlifted and taken to a ground ambulance, which transported them to the San Luis Valley Regional Medical Center to be treated. The mission concluded at approximately 10:40 a.m.

AVSAR said numerous agencies helped in the rescue effort, including the Alamosa County Sheriff's Office, the Saguache County Sheriff's Office, REACH Air Medical Services, BACA Fire/EMS, Eagle Air Med the Colorado Search and Rescue Association (CSAR), the Colorado National Guard, and Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve.

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