The Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office Emergency Services Division’s volunteer Search and Rescue (SAR) team, with the assistance of state and local partners, successfully rescued six hikers—including five juveniles—from Greenhorn Mountain, Colorado, on Sunday, June 1, following a challenging 25-hour search in steep and heavily wooded terrain.
All hikers were found safe and, though exhausted, were uninjured. One SAR team member from PCSO sustained non-life-threatening injuries during the operation and was airlifted from the mountain by a Colorado National Guard helicopter.
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The group, all from Texas, began a day hike Friday near Graneros Creek, southwest of the Town of Rye. After veering off their designated trail, they became disoriented in dense vegetation and were unable to find their way back.
At approximately 7:30 p.m. Friday, the hikers contacted the Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office Communication Center to report they were lost. PCSO’s volunteer SAR team began an immediate ground search, working through the night despite steep terrain, heavy rain, and limited visibility. One SAR member was injured during the night but continued searching until he was unable to proceed.
On Saturday morning, a second PCSO SAR team and members of the Custer County Search and Rescue joined the operation. A Flight for Life helicopter was deployed and located the lost hikers, but due to rugged terrain, it was unable to perform a rescue or extract the injured SAR member.
The Sheriff’s Office coordinated with the Colorado Department of Public Safety and the Colorado National Guard to deploy a helicopter capable of high-angle rescue. At approximately 3:30 p.m., the helicopter crew used a hoist to extract the injured SAR member, who was then flown to Rye High School and transported by ambulance to a local hospital for treatment.
Meanwhile, Custer County SAR teams located four of the six hikers on foot around 3:30 p.m. The two remaining juveniles had separated from the group in an attempt to find the trail. PCSO SAR members located them at approximately 4:45 p.m. All six hikers were safely escorted out of the area and taken to the incident command post, where they were evaluated and found to be in good health.
“This was a very long, difficult, and dangerous operation, and we are thankful for the positive outcome. Everyone was safely rescued, and although one of our SAR members was injured, we are grateful no one suffered serious harm,” said Pueblo County Sheriff David J. Lucero.
Sheriff Lucero also expressed appreciation for the collaborative effort: “We want to thank Custer County, Rye Fire, Flight for Life, and the Division of Fire Protection and Control for their assistance in this search. A special thanks goes to the Colorado Department of Public Safety and the National Guard for the successful rescue of our injured SAR team member.”
The Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office reminds outdoor enthusiasts always to be prepared before heading into the mountains:
- Never hike alone.
- Share your hiking plan with someone before you go.
- Bring plenty of food and water.
- Carry a fully charged cellphone and conserve battery life.
- Pack emergency supplies, including a flashlight, fire starter, and emergency blanket.
- Stay on marked and designated trails.
- If you become lost, call for help and stay in place.
Greenhorn Mountain is the highest summit of Colorado’s Wet Mountains, reaching 12,352 feet (3,765 meters) and marking the highest point in both the range and Pueblo County. Located within the Greenhorn Mountain Wilderness of San Isabel National Forest, about 5 miles southwest of Rye, the mountain rises dramatically above the Great Plains and is visible from cities like Pueblo and Colorado Springs. The wilderness area, designated in 1993, spans over 23,000 acres and is renowned for its seclusion, limited trails, and panoramic views that encompass the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and Spanish Peaks. The mountain’s name derives from the Spanish “Cuerno Verde,” honoring a Comanche chief who was killed nearby in 1779 during a battle with Spanish forces.
Texans…. can’t live with them, pass the beer nuts!