Members of mountain-rescue groups prepare for a wide variety of scenarios in their work, but a recent effort went to the dogs — and that turned out fine.
A Broomfield couple who are experienced hikers ran into a problem July 24 descending 14,265-foot Quandary Peak. They and their two dogs, Loki and Lilly, got stuck above a 200-foot-high vertical drop as a storm moved in, according to the Summit County Sheriff’s Office.
Worsening their predicament, a backpack filled with gear, food and water fell off the cliff.
The couple hunkered down, building a rock shelter in which they spent the night. They kept warm by sharing their body heat, as well as huddling with the dogs.
In the morning, the man was able to climb down and call 911 for help, while the woman and the dogs stayed behind.
More than 20 members of the Summit County Rescue Group responded to the incident, with some scaling “very technical terrain in deteriorating weather conditions before they were able to reach the woman and dogs, all of whom were exhausted and dehydrated,” according to the Sheriff’s Office.
The woman was able to “walk out with assistance,” but the dogs were unable to follow. So two rescue members emptied the contents of their packs and created pouches for the pooped pooches.
The rescue members then safely rappelled down a 200-foot cliff with Loki and Lilly looking over their shoulders.
“The Summit County Rescue Group is a team of consummate professionals,” said Sheriff John Minor in the news release. “This is just one example of their quick thinking and willingness to go beyond expectations and get the job done.”
“Everybody loves search-and-rescue,” said Tracy LeClair, a sheriff’s spokeswoman. “And everybody loves dogs.”
The rescuers
In 2011, the Summit County Rescue Group, which is made up of about 65 volunteers, dedicated more than 12,000 hours to respond to calls for help in the backcountry. For more information on the rescue team and to donate, go to its website, .
