Planning a hike doesn't just mean doing what you can avoid requiring mountain rescue – researching your route, wearing proper hiking boots and checking the weather forecast. It also means making yourself searchable if disaster strikes, something that a Colorado mountain rescue team recently felt compelled to issue a reminder about.
On Wednesday morning, the Evergreen-based Alpine Rescue Team announced the successful extraction of an injured person on the Sawtooth, a third-class ridge connecting two 14ers, Mt. Blue Sky and Mt. Bierstadt. The call reported that the hiker had a lower leg injury and possible loss of consciousness, prompting a 19-person team to deploy via Flight for Life helicopter and on foot.
Deteriorating weather conditions at the time meant the crews were battling against time to reach the injured party, and as they report in a Facebook post, which you can view below, the hiker's choice of clothing also hampered the search effort.
"This call further highlights the importance of wearing bright clothing when recreating. Flight for Life performed multiple flyovers of the ridge with trained rescue spotters and the patient was never seen from the air," writes the ART.
Posted by AlpineRescue on
How to make yourself searchable
Though the ART doesn't elaborate on what clothes the hiker was wearing, hiking clothes commonly come in dark or neutral colors that don't show the dirt and are often preferable from an aesthetic standpoint. However, this means that you blend in against the backdrop of nature, and that can make you harder to find.
Last year, Hollywood actor Julian Sands disappeared in a snowstorm on Mount Baldy. His remains were not discovered for another five months, something that has been partially blamed on his choice of clothing.
In last week's incident, the team was able to locate the hiker, splint their leg and hike them out, however the story serves as a good reminder to wear at least some gear that is brightly colored, such as your backpack, a beanie hat or waterproof jacket. In addition, you can help mountain rescue by carrying a satellite communicator such as the Garmin InReach or an Apple device with the SOS function.
Always tell someone where you are going and when you plan to return, and have the tools you need to signal for help when you don't have phone service, such as a hiking whistle and flashlight. Learn more in our article on how to make yourself searchable on a hike.
