Miyah, a 69-year-old woman visiting Colorado from Arizona, became lost one morning on a hike in the deep forest east of Allenspark, CO. Her SOS text messages were delayed in getting out due to spotty cell coverage. When the messages finally got through, Miyah had been lost for over 24 hours.
With a bit of food and water gone, Miyah found a safe place to hide from animals, rested, and listened for help to arrive.
Boulder Emergency Squad responded with 14 rescuers and a search management team along with two canine handlers and their search dogs from Front Range Rescue Dogs (FRRD). Search drones and ground teams followed clues and planned a coordinated search based on search management best practices. Together with the Boulder County Sheriff Dept, Rocky Mountain Rescue, and local fire departments, rescuers found Miyah.
When the canine teams found Miyah she was tired, dehydrated, and a bit weak, but otherwise okay and happy to be found after being out in the wilderness for over two days.
BES rescuers coordinate the successful search and rescue of a missing hiker from the back of a quick-response vehicle.