A 17-year-old girl from Texas was rescued on Saturday after getting cliffed-out while hiking up the “Wasatch Connector” from Upper Bear Creek in San Miguel County.

The US Forest Service describes this hike as, “steep and rocky as it switch backs its way up the east side of Gold Hill away from Bear Creek.”

According to a tweet from the San Miguel Sheriff’s Office, was attempting to hike past snowfields that were blocking the trail on Gold Hill, near the Telluride Ski area, when she got off-route.

She was hiking with minimal gear, officials said.

“SAR located the female on a ridge, & using a technical short-rope rescue method, extricated her to safety. No one was injured during the 4-hour mission that ended right at dusk,” the sheriff’s office said.

It’s important to prepare for unexpected situations when entering the Colorado backcountry, even if that means carrying around additional equipment like extra food, water, and layers to keep warm.

A GPS device, like a Garmin inReach, is also a great tool to have with you. Carrying one can help you establish a line of communication with emergency response teams. 

Those interested in helping to support Colorado’s volunteer-driven search and rescue program should consider purchasing a CORSAR card, which is quite affordable at $3 per year.

Photo Credit: lzf. File photo. (iStock)

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