Pair of cold, wet hikers rescued from Four Pass Loop in Maroon Bells-Snowmass

DENVER (KDVR) — After about an 11-hour rescue mission from the Four Pass Loop in the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness, rescue workers reported that two stranded hikers are now safe.

According to the Pitkin County Sheriff’s Office, dispatchers received an SOS call at about 9:27 p.m. on Sunday from a Garmin InReach, a satellite phone with SOS capability.

The pair of hikers had lost their gear and had no shelter, and they were cold, wet and stranded near Snowmass Lake, the sheriff’s office said.

At 9:48 p.m., Mountain Rescue Aspen was contacted.

Rescue workers determined that a helicopter rescue mission was not possible because of weather conditions, so a team of four went into the field on foot at about 11:20 p.m.

The pair of hikers was contacted at about 5:04 a.m. on Monday. Rescue workers were able to escort the uninjured hikers down the Snowmass Creek trail, reaching the trailhead at about 10:17 a.m.

According to the Pitkin County Sheriff’s Office, Four Pass Loop is a challenging trail near Aspen that’s over 25 miles long. The route is named for the four 12,000-foot passes it covers, namely Buckskin, Trail Rider, Frigid Air and West Maroon. The hike often is completed in 3-4 days and can be extended with side trips to Geneva Lake and Willow Pass.

Pitkin County Sheriff’s Office and Mountain Rescue Aspen are taking this opportunity to encourage hikers entering backcountry areas, especially in the early season, to prepare for various trail conditions from lingering snow and high water, estimate longer hiking times and dress for the ever-changing mountain climate.

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