Five juveniles, one adult rescued from Greenhorn Mountain over the weekend

PUEBLO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) -- The Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) Emergency Services Division’s volunteer Search and Rescue (SAR) team says they rescued six hikers over the weekend.

According to officials, five of the hikers were juveniles. Rescue crews said the search took roughly 25 hours.

"All hikers were found safe and, though exhausted, were uninjured," read a release from the Pueblo County Sheriff's Office. "One SAR team member from PCSO sustained non-life-threatening injuries during the operation and was airlifted from the mountain by a Colorado National Guard helicopter."

The sheriff's office says the group was visiting from Texas when they began a hike on Greenhorn Mountain on Friday. The sheriff's office says they veered off the trail and became disoriented.

At 7:30 p.m., the hikers called the sheriff's office to alert them that they were lost. The sheriff's office says a search immediately began, though they faced rough terrain and heavy rain.

The group was still missing by Saturday morning, the sheriff's office said. Four of the six hikers were ultimately located around 3:30 p.m., with an additional two located around 4:45 p.m.

“This was a very long, difficult, and dangerous operation, and we are thankful for the positive
outcome,” said Pueblo County Sheriff David J. Lucero in a release. “Everyone was safely rescued, and although one of our SAR members was injured, we are grateful no one suffered serious harm.”

PCSO released the following tips for hikers:

• Never hike alone.
• Share your hiking plan with someone before you go.
• Bring plenty of food and water.
• Carry a fully charged cellphone and conserve battery life.
• Pack emergency supplies, including a flashlight, fire starter, and emergency blanket.
• Stay on marked and designated trails.
• If you become lost, call for help and stay in place.

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