A hiker's encounter with a black bear led to a 20-hour search and rescue mission in the area of Colorado's San Luis Valley this week.
On the afternoon of August 12, Alamosa Volunteer Search and Rescue initiated a search for a missing hiker at about 3 p.m. in the area of Zapata Falls. The hiker had been with a partner, but the two had become separated, prompting the partner to report the situation to emergency services.
Fremont County Search and Rescue was called to assist after the overdue hiker was still missing by 10 p.m. on Monday night, along with members of Chaffee County Search and Rescue South, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, South Fork Fire Rescue, and Reach Air Medical.
The search continued into the following morning, with two K9 teams and additional crew deployed from the Zapata Falls Trailhead at about 6 a.m.
All crews continued to search for the hiker until about 11 a.m., when the hiker was found alive and in good health.
Details from the missing hiker revealed that she had encountered a bear while returning to the trailhead, at which point she went into the backcountry and became disoriented. As daylight waned, the hiker built a shelter to help her survive the night.
Obviously, it's great news that this search and rescue mission has a happy ending, and other outdoor recreators can learn several lessons from the situation.
First, it's important to know how to respond when encountering wildlife on the trail, as surprise encounters can often prompt a reactionary response. While all specifics about this bear encounter that ultimately pushed the hiker off the established route weren't released, this can still be used as a learning situation.
If a bear is encountered on the trail, hazing it away with loud noises can often be an effective means of getting it to move along without having to leave the safety of the trail. If the bear is stubbornly approaching on the trail despite hazing and getting off-route is necessary, step aside, but aim to keep track of landmarks that will make getting back to the trail easier. If a bear is simply lingering on the trail far ahead, move backward on the trail while keeping an eye on the bear, giving it time to move along without interference.
Never turn and run when encountering a potential predator in the wild, as this can prompt a chase response. In general, black bears rarely pose a risk toward humans in Colorado, but their presence should not be approached with ignorance. The species can be particularly aggressive when sick, injured, cornered, or with young. Giving a black bear as much space as possible it the best course of action, and if attacked, fight back. Bringing along bear spray may also be an option to consider, and as one OutThere Colorado reader, Pam, suggested, a whistle is lightweight and can be great for hazing.
Another lesson that can be learned from this situation is the importance of carrying a GPS-based emergency communication device, such as a Garmin inReach. A device like this can make it difficult to get lost, but if getting lost still occurs, this type of device also makes it possible to call for help in an area where cell phone connection might not be available. The ability to call for help can expedite search and rescue missions in a big way.
A third lesson that can be gleaned from this situation is that of staying close to partners while traveling on standard dirt trail terrain is recommended. A few cases where some separation between parties is important can include when there's lightning risk, avalanche risk, or rockfall risk, but line-of-sight should still be maintained if at all possible.
If you're interested in supporting Colorado's volunteer-powered search and rescue operation, one way to do so is through the purchase of a CORSAR card . It's cheap, at only $5 per year.
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