Deputy who help save three men stranded at Pike National Forest recalls rescue mission
The call came in at about 3:15 p.m. on May 11, when three people were stuck in deep snow in a pickup truck in the foothills of Douglas County.
It took an hour and a half to reach them, but rescuers were unable to get them out of the snow on Rampart Range Road.
Douglas County deputy, Rick Garcia, found Michael Hurst of Colorado Springs and his two adult sons, who had been turkey hunting. One with medical issues was the first to go.
Deputy Garcia shared his body camera video and his story with CBS News Colorado.
"I threw him in my truck and we hightailed it out of there and I was able to make it down the road into the Woodland Park area," he recalled.
Each time they got the truck to move it would get stuck once again.
The Douglas County Search and Rescue team was mobilized. The crew went in with snowmobiles but by that time it was nightfall and 3 feet of snow covered. The trees were falling in front and behind them, according to Garcia.
"The problem we were having, we had to cut through these trees using a handsaw to cut through these trees to get back to these guys," he said.
The trapped truck was running out of gas, so a new plan was needed.
The Colorado National Guard was contacted to send in a helicopter for the rescue.
Dave Arnett, field director for Douglas County Search and Rescue says it was not an easy operation.
"Fly back to the truck, drop a hoist and they were able to extract these two gentlemen at that point," he said.
A Blackhawk helicopter and its crew brought the remaining two out, including one who had been using a wheelchair.
They had been stuck for almost 22 hours. One of the three was wanted for outstanding warrants.
CBS News Colorado reached out to the Hurst family but has not yet heard back.
Those involved in the rescue remind people to be sure they have a full tank of gas, a phone that is charged, and let people know exactly where they are going before they leave and such a trip.
