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 couple from Broomfield, experienced hikers, ran into a problem on July 24 descending 14,265-foot Quandary Peak when they got stuck above a 200-foot-high vertical drop, along with two dogs, Loki and Lilly, as a storm moved in, according to the Summit County Sheriff’s Office.
To add to their predicament, a backpack holding gear, food and water, fell over the edge of the cliff.
The couple hunkered down and built 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 a sheriff’s office media release.
The woman was able to “walk out with assistance,” but the dogs were unable to follow.
Two rescue members emptied the contents of their packs and created pouches for the pooped pooches. They safely repelled 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 release. “This is just one example of their quick thinking and willingness to go beyond expectations and get the job done.”
The Summit County team, made up of about 65 volunteers, dedicated more than 12,000 hours in 2011 to respond to calls for help in the backcountry.
For more information on the group, or to donate, visit its website at .
“Everbody loves search and rescue,” said Tracy LeClair, a sheriff’s spokeswoman. “And everybody loves dogs.”
