HINSDALE COUNTY, Colo. — A couple from Texas and their two dogs were safely brought off Engineer Pass after they became stranded in snow on Monday — the second rescue on the pass in less than a week.
Hinsdale County Search and Rescue reported that two of its volunteers left Lake City around 7:40 a.m. to go find the couple, who were stuck in deep snow drifts west of the summit of Engineer Pass in southwest Colorado.
Once they found each other, the search and rescue members guided the couple to their vehicle and brought them down to Lake City.
"Hinsdale SAR would like to remind everyone to check current road and weather conditions before heading into the backcountry," the group posted online. "Always carry proper cold weather gear when traveling in the high country — snow drifts are already forming above 12,000 feet. If you encounter deep snow, please be prepared to change your plans and turn around safely."
Engineer Pass is the highest elevation along the 60-plus-mile Alpine Loop Scenic Byway, also called the Alpine Loop. The pass reaches an elevation of about 12,800 feet. It is made of 4x4 mining roads connecting Lake City, Silverton and Ouray. To traverse the loop, drivers should have a high-clearance 4WD vehicle or an off-highway vehicle.
The pass is plowed in the spring — an endeavor shared by authorities in Hinsdale, San Juan and Ouray county.
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Hinsdale County Search and Rescue responded to a similar incident on Oct. 23, when they were called to help authorities from San Juan and Ouray counties west of the summit of Engineer Pass.
The SAR teams headed out around 6:50 a.m. and reached the stranded party — a father and son visiting from Florida — by 9:45 p.m. Their Jeep became stuck in about 2 feet of snow around 4 p.m., the SAR team said.
"We’re grateful for the quick coordination between county teams and for a safe outcome for all involved," the group said.
Earlier this month, Denver7 spoke with some of Colorado Search and Rescue's statewide coordinators, who are all volunteers and are responsible for making sure all the pieces are in place for a rescue or recovery.
"If a county needs that extra help — more people, more resources for their rescue — they can literally make one phone call to the CSAR state coordinators," explained Kevin Harner, one of those coordinators. "We're on call 24/7, and we can get that help for them, bringing their neighboring teams, bringing other resources."
Watch that story below and read our in-depth story here.
