Risk Management Corner: Aug-Sept 2026 Incident Reports

Incident #1: 

Quick Summary:  a participant experienced significant fatigue, an elevated heart rate, and low blood oxygen saturation. Search and Rescue was called to help safely extract the patient.

• Activity Type: Backpacking
• Activity Start Date: Aug 17, 2026
  
• Location: Indian Peaks Wilderness
• #of people in party: 6
• Milage/Elevation: 4.5 miles / 1000ft elevation gain
• Location / Conditions present during incident / injury / illness: On Trail
• Estimate of participants experience for this activity: Experienced (3+ years)
  

Detailed Summary:

Prior to being approved for trip registration, each participant had been screened by the trip leader to confirm that they possessed the experience, skills, and physical capabilities expected for the trip.

At the trailhead, one member of the group reported that they had recently returned from low elevation and may initially be slower than their normal pace. During the ascent, the participant was hiking substantially slower than expected. One of the trip leaders remained with them for much of the ascent, and the group stopped several times to keep the participants together and within sight of the leaders.

A Trip Leader spoke privately with the participant about their condition and pace. The Trip Leader offered to accompany the participant back to the trailhead and drive them to the carpool location, which would have allowed the participant to leave the trip. The patient reported that he was having difficulty catching their breath when attempting to maintain the group's moderate pace. The participant indicated that they did not want to leave the trip since they had experienced this before and expected to acclimate quickly. 

As the group continued the participant had persistently elevated heart rate and low blood oxygen saturation that did not improve adequately with rest. After monitoring the member's condition and determining that evacuation was warranted, the trip leaders activated Garmin SOS at 1:20pm and requested assistance from Search and Rescue.

The SAR team arrived at approximately 3:27pm and immediately began assessing the participant. The SAR team noted their continued elevated heart rate and determined that they should be evacuated north along the Beaver Creek Trail, in the direction from which the SAR team had approached. At approximately 4:22 p.m., the participant and the SAR team departed the incident site.

The trip was terminated, and the five remaining group members returned to the original trailhead and then to the carpool location.

It was learned that the member declined ambulance transportation to a hospital and was taken home by his landlord later that evening. That evening, the co-leader was contacted by the member, and the member reported that he was doing well. On August 18, the co-leader met with him again. The member reported that he continued to feel well, had contacted his physician, and was arranging an in-person appointment. At the time of this report, the specific cause of the medical condition experienced on the trail has not been determined.

Incident #2: 

Quick Summary:  a participant slipped and fell on a rocky trail.

• Activity Type: Hiking
• Activity Start Date: Aug 1, 2026
  
• Location: Mount. Sneffels
• Milage/Elevation: 3.1 miles / 2,999ft elevation gain
• Location / Conditions present during incident / injury / illness: Rock, Scrambling near trail
• Contributory Cause: Exhaustion
  

Detailed Summary:

As the group was descending the couloir under Lavender Couloir, a participant slipped and fell. The trip leader did not personally witness the fall. When the trip leader turned back and saw the participant, they were upside down on their back. Other participants around them immediately rushed to them to get him upright. What was described to the trip leader was the participant slipped and twisted while falling which caused them to end up in that position. They were wearing a helmet, and it is possible they hit their head, although they did not show any signs of concussion and their demeanor had no change from before the incident (very talkative and happy). The trip leader climbed back up to them quickly and the only injuries noted were cuts on the arm. Along with another trip participant who has army combat medic training, they bandaged the arm and sat with them for a few minutes. The participant told the trip leader their legs were getting to a point of tiredness that caused them to give out. The nature of the descent was arguably more strenuous than the climb given the constant loose rock on steep terrain. The trip leader stayed close to the participant for the rest of the descent and reported that they did great.