“Rescue coordinator, we’ve got a call from a hiking party needing assistance,” the dispatcher said.  Mike grabbed a pen. “Injured, or lost?” he asked as he copied the phone number.  The dispatcher paused.  “I’m really not sure,” she said.   

Mike immediately called the reporting party, Derek. “What’s the situation?” he asked. “My hiking partner says he’s exhausted,” Derek said. “Where are you?” Mike asked, assuming they must also be lost. “We’re about two miles up the Lazy Brook trail.”  “So…you know how to get back to the bottom, then. And no one is injured?” “No,” Derek said, sheepishly. “My friend just says he’s tired, and the slope is pretty steep so it’s making his quads hurt to hike downhill. I should probably try to convince him to keep walking, huh?” 

“We’re here if you really need us,” Mike responded.  “But understand, we’re at least two hours out. We have to get responders to the trailhead, and then they have to hike up to you. And when we get there, what is your friend expecting? That we’ll carry him out?,” Mike asked. “I don’t know … I think he might be expecting a helicopter,” Derek responded.

Fortunately, this story ended with Derek and his friend deciding to walk themselves out — but not every situation is so clear. How do you know when it’s appropriate to call for help?  

When someone is injured or ill and cannot get back to their car on their own, that call is necessary and should be made sooner rather than later. When someone is lost or overdue for a reasonable amount of time, especially if dangerous weather is approaching, that is also an obvious need.   

But in some circumstances the decision to call is not so obvious. Here are some things to consider in making the decision. If you determine you can self-rescue, the next question might be, will it make the situation worse? Will it aggravate an injury, or take so long that it might put you in danger of other hazards such as hypothermia? And how long did it take you to get where you are? It will take a backcountry search and rescue team longer, because they need to gear up, get to the trailhead and likely hike the same route you did. Backcountry search and rescue volunteers are generally responding from their homes or jobs; they are not like firefighters or ambulance personnel, staged at a central location and waiting to respond to a call at a moment’s notice. Can you stay warm and out of danger while you wait?  And consider that while teams do everything possible to make you comfortable, it’s not fun to be carried out.  Backcountry litters are not like hospital beds, and if you can be towed behind a snowmobile or all-terrain vehicle, that speeds things up, but may also make a bumpy ride even bumpier.

Backcountry search and rescue services are often requested by a concerned family member or friend, but the subject may not need nor want help.  A worried family member calls about a hiker whom they assumed would climb that 14er in only seven hours, and now it’s been nine. How do you avoid this situation?  Have a conversation beforehand about plans and expectations, and leave a specific trip plan with that “in-town” person back home.  

Sometimes, people who are tired, cold or frightened think a helicopter ride will be a quick and easy solution. It’s not.  Helicopters can be expensive and dangerous, and search and rescue teams are generally authorized to use them only in cases where life, limb or eyesight are threatened, or rescuer safety is at stake. It is not uncommon for helicopters to be grounded due to clouds, precipitation or winds, and this is especially true in the mountains. Please see “Rescue helicopters are not an Uber” for more.  

If you have an emergency and are considering whether you need backcountry search and rescue, and you have a cell phone with reception, call 911 and discuss your situation with the local dispatcher.  He or she might connect you with the local backcountry search and rescue team for direct advice. Friends and family can consult the backcountry search and rescue county map to identify the right county Sheriff’s Office to report or ask about an overdue party.   

The best way to avoid an unnecessary call is to plan, prepare and communicate before, during and after your backcountry adventure. Backcountry search and rescue teams will be there for you if you need us, without any charge for service. When there is any doubt, we prefer that you err on the side of calling us. But you can also help backcountry search and rescue volunteers by considering carefully whether you truly need assistance.

“Get Wild” publishes on Fridays in the Summit Daily News. Anna DeBattiste is a volunteer public information officer with the Colorado Search and Rescue Association and a former public information officer with Summit County Rescue Group.