Missing hikers on Mount Shavano & Tapeguache

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theshortone
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Missing hikers on Mount Shavano & Tapeguache

Post by theshortone »

We were coming down Mt. Shavano today when around 7:30 ish (wasn't looking at my watch) am we ran into 3 chaffee County SAR members who were looking for 2 overdue hikers, a father and son in their 60's./30's
They were planning on doing a day hike Thursday and were overdue.
The only description SAR had was that one of then was in jeans.

I've been worrying about them ever since, especially as it's been pretty stormy

Anyone have any news?? or if you were hiking Thursday any info for SAR.
I don't see anything anywhere about this, which hopefully means they were quickly found and are okay, but I can't stop worrying about them.

Hope this is okay to post, long time lurker, First time poster.
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Re: Missing hikers on Mount Shavano & Tapeguache

Post by Carl_Healy »

Nothing on the Chaffee County South Search and Rescue Facebook page.

If there is an update on a search that's likely the first place it'll be posted.
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Re: Missing hikers on Mount Shavano & Tapeguache

Post by Tornadoman »

It's fine to post it here, if someone happened to be up there they might be able to provide useful information and pass it onto SAR. As Carl stated above Chaffee County South often posts updates on their FB.
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Re: Missing hikers on Mount Shavano & Tapeguache

Post by Carl_Healy »

Chaffee County South SAR managed to find the two hikers OK

Link
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Re: Missing hikers on Mount Shavano & Tapeguache

Post by Tufftommy-BV »

From Facebook:

For Chaffee SAR South's third mission in two days, and 22nd of the season, we deployed for a 0600 page on Friday 7/29 for a report of 2 overdue hikers in the Shavano/Tabeguache area. Initial information indicated that a father and son, 63 and 34 years old respectively of Evergreen Park, Illinois had left the Angel of Shavano Trailhead at 0430 on 7/28 for a summit attempt of one or both peaks. SAR South responded with teams to initially clear trails throughout the base of Shavano, as well as the standard route to the summits of both peaks. As teams progressed, the missing subjects called 911, and cell phone pings placed them in McCoy Gulch. All teams were diverted to that area.

A technical rescue team of 3 SAR South members and 1 Chaffee County SAR North member ascended the east ridgeline and was able to reach the subjects just east of McCoy Gulch around 13:00. The subjects had become cliffed out after attempting to descend McCoy Gulch sometime the morning of Friday 7/29 after spending the night in the ridges above McCoy and west of Shavano's summit. The pair was perched on an approximately 45 degree rock face, with the son standing on a tree trunk against the rock, and the father above him on a large boulder. Due to the amount of loose rock, the team determined the safest option was to set an anchor and lower a sling to each subject and raise them to a more secure platform. When the father left the boulder he had been standing on, it let go and struck the tree the son had been standing on minutes before. The team was able to retrace their path along the east ridges and safely descend back to CR 240 with the subjects despite loose rock and treacherous conditions. Additional teams remained fielded in support roles throughout the operation.

This is an almost yearly reminder of why all guide books and maps state 'Do not descend McCoy Gulch". Deceivingly mellow high on the west ridges of Shavano and Tabeguache, it quickly turns into a steep, narrow canyon with slick waterfalls and loose, scree and talus filled sides. It is an unforgiving route. A debrief with these subjects indicates they attempted to descend west of Shavano's summit in bad weather, hoping it would allow them a path back to their trailhead. They came very close to death or serious injury, as many others before them have in McCoy. Research your route, plan for bad weather and remember that a class 2 or 3 rated summit is only a guide for the established route, and no indication of conditions off that route.

Thank you to our neighbors at Chaffee County Search and Rescue North for their assistance.
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Re: Missing hikers on Mount Shavano & Tapeguache

Post by Ptglhs »

Chaffee county SAR has been working very hard recently. Thanks to people who take time off work, and endure a lot of personal hardships to help others. Hopefully they won't be needed much for a while. Glad this story was a rescue and not a recovery.
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Re: Missing hikers on Mount Shavano & Tapeguache

Post by climbingyogi »

For anyone interested, here's a great photo that shows how one could make an accidental descent into McCoy Gulch. Thanks to Rick Crandall - I found this photo on his site: https://www.rickcrandall.net/tabegauche ... at-summit/
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Re: Missing hikers on Mount Shavano & Tapeguache

Post by Cide »

Having done the West Ridge, you have to check out to make route errors on the return. I checked out and started winding down the North-South ridge to the West of McCoy Gulch, caught it and back tracked. Actually headed down the gulch is an odd move that I know gets alot of people but I don't see how. Unless they want to shortcut an awesome route.
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Re: Missing hikers on Mount Shavano & Tapeguache

Post by theshortone »

So glad they were found safe
.
We did the west ridge route up Tab Saturday and did check out on our was down as we were talking and found ourselves off route and headed down towards the wrong way. but as soon as you can see the ridge you are supposed to be on its easy to backtrack.

I have to assume that after being out all evening/night in the rain wind and fog they were not doing well and were disoriented and desperate.
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Re: Missing hikers on Mount Shavano & Tapeguache

Post by painless4u2 »

Cide wrote: Mon Aug 01, 2022 11:22 am Having done the West Ridge, you have to check out to make route errors on the return. I checked out and started winding down the North-South ridge to the West of McCoy Gulch, caught it and back tracked. Actually headed down the gulch is an odd move that I know gets alot of people but I don't see how. Unless they want to shortcut an awesome route.
That North-South Ridge used to be a normal route before it was closed due to erosion. I did it years ago before closure. I imagine these folks were just trying to get lower as quickly as they could in bad weather and took an obvious looking way down, in McCoy. If they didn't do a little research on the area, it would seem like a viable option since it appears pretty tame at first.
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Re: Missing hikers on Mount Shavano & Tapeguache

Post by Cide »

theshortone wrote: Mon Aug 01, 2022 2:26 pm So glad they were found safe
.
We did the west ridge route up Tab Saturday and did check out on our was down as we were talking and found ourselves off route and headed down towards the wrong way. but as soon as you can see the ridge you are supposed to be on its easy to backtrack.

I have to assume that after being out all evening/night in the rain wind and fog they were not doing well and were disoriented and desperate.
For sure. My dumb butt didn't read "out all night" so I'm sure they were just looking for anything appearing doable.
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Re: Missing hikers on Mount Shavano & Tapeguache

Post by Gulf_Coast_Hiker »

If this McCoy Gulch is so bad and makes for a lot of rescues, why don't they post this area as "Do Not Enter". Maybe they already have? Maybe the sign wouldn't last that long up there? Just seems like something proactive to stop people from going down there would help. I realize you could definitely miss the sign in bad weather or at night.

I understand that the maps and guidebooks say that already, but that is a big assumption to make that everyone out there does their proper homework before hitting the trails.
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