Friday morning, Sept. 19, Grand County Search and Rescue responded to assist three teenagers near Rocky Mountain National Park. The teens had become separated from their hiking group.

According to a Facebook post by search and rescue, its members received an SOS activation from a Garmin inReach at Parika Lake at about 6:30 a.m. The lake is located in the Never Summer Wilderness area, near the western border of the park. The Grand County Sheriff’s Office also responded to the SOS.

The 18-year-old who activated the signal told responders they’d been backpacking with five other college students, when three of those students became separated shortly before dark on Thursday night.  

Search and rescue mobilized five field teams, including a drone team, to search for the three missing hikers. The members located the hikers at 9:33 a.m. All three were safe and in good health.

According to the three who’d gone missing, they became tired Thursday night and set up camp, rather than continuing the hike to their destination of Parika Lake. The other three hikers continued on to the lake, not knowing the three others had decided to camp overnight.

Once reunited thanks to Grand County Search and Rescue, all six hikers continued on their backpacking trip. All search and rescue members were out of the field by 11:12 a.m.

Members thanked the National Park Service for assistance with facilitating their travel through Rocky Mountain National Park and coordination in establishing a command post in the park.

Grand County Search and Rescue gives safety advice

The agency has responded to a number of calls this year that involve hiking parties splitting up and losing contact with each other.

“We’d like to remind everyone recreating in the backcountry to have a communication plan in place with your group and carry the necessary gear to be able to communicate with each other if you become separated,” search and rescue stated. “Many of these incidents can be avoided by waiting for group members at trail splits and staying together. Splitting up essential gear amongst the group only works if the group stays together.”