SAGUACHE COUNTY, Colo. — Search and rescue crews from both Saguache and Gunnison counties rescued a hypothermic hunter who was lost in the Gunnison National Forest Friday evening.
Officials said the hunter, soaked by storms and snow, called for help around 9:18 p.m. and reported that he couldn’t walk and was using an emergency blanket and tarp to stay warm.
His GPS coordinates were retrieved just before his phone died, and search and rescue crews were dispatched to his area.
Crews located the hunter about 300 yards from a road in a remote area in the Gunnison National Forest, with two rescuers driving 98 miles one-way to reach him, according to a news release.
Officials said the hunter had smartly removed his wet clothes and was using dry gear from his pack, as well as improvising insulation with game bags and a tarp.
He was treated with heat packs, hydration, and nutrition, and then assisted to the road and returned to his vehicle.
This rescue operation came just a day after the bodies of two men who went missing while elk hunting in Conejos County last week were located.
The cause and manner of their deaths have yet to be determined. However, authorities reported no obvious sign of foul play or injuries at the time they were found.
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