Mission Report: Kingston Peak

Yesterday at 20:19, Colorado 4×4 Rescue and Recovery received a cellphone call from an individual who had become stuck in snow. The individual became stuck at approximately 13:00, and had been attempting to self recover all afternoon while snow fell around him. After we contacted Gilpin County Sheriffs Office, the decision was made to deploy our team as there was no immediate threat to life safety. Strict requirements of snow chain equipped vehicles and experience on a Sunday night did delay the initial team building, however we had a team assembled and at the trailhead by 23:10. The team was under direction to only attempt a vehicle recovery if conditions allowed for one to be performed safely, and to keep vehicles within winching distance of each other.

At 00:34 the team arrived on scene and assessed the vehicle and its occupants. All parties were content, and a recovery attempt was initiated.

At 01:41 the team lead decided to call off recovery efforts due to severe wind, snow, and cold weather. Nearly 12 inches of snow had fallen since they arrived on scene. The parties were extracted without incident, and we hope the weather clears to allow for a vehicle recovery later this week. It’s never easy to abandon a recovery, however the safety of the party and our team is always the first priority.

Thank you to our dedicated members and volunteers, and to the Gilpin County Sheriff’s Office for their confidence and support. Last nights deployment strengthens one of our founding purposes of freeing up local Emergency Services and Search and Rescue units for more urgent and life threatening missions. We are proud to fill the role we are in, and to help decrease the burden on them.

Winter is here, don’t be fooled by clear morning skies. A fun day on the trail could change tone quite fast this time of year.

Colorado 4×4 Rescue and Recovery
We Recover the Rockies

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