When an experienced hiker slipped on loose rock near the summit of Broken Hand Pass—a 12,585‑foot “13er” in Colorado’s Sangre de Cristo range—a 13‑hour rescue highlighted the impact of proper gear preparation.
Accident and Immediate Response
On July 12, the hiker completed a high‑alpine traverse before descending toward the pass. About 400 feet below the summit, she injured her knee on the chossy terrain and called Custer County Search and Rescue (CCSAR) at 4:45 p.m. A Flight For Life Colorado helicopter arrived within five minutes, carrying four technical responders and roughly 125 pounds of equipment. By contrast, the same route by ground would have required nearly two hours on a rough four‑wheel‑drive track.
Rescuers from CCSAR and a volunteer team—19 members from Custer County and five from the state agency—hiked two miles from the parking area to reach the injured hiker. The night was clear, but temperatures fell into the upper forties despite mid‑July, showing how quickly cold can set in at altitude.
Gear That Made the Difference
Authorities noted that the hiker’s daypack contained items that proved vital during the prolonged operation. She carried warm, brightly colored clothing layers, a beanie, a high‑lumens headlamp, a climbing helmet, an emergency bivy sack, extra food and water, a phone, an external battery pack, and a Garmin inReach satellite communicator.
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Her headlamp allowed rescuers to locate her in darkness, while the bright clothing made her visible to the helicopter crew. The bivy sack provided a barrier against wind and cold, and the battery pack kept the phone charged, an essential factor because she happened to have cell service at the site.
“She could start signaling,” said Melissa Harth of CCSAR. “We could see where she was because she had her headlamp on. She could see us because we had headlamps on.” The helmet offered protection from potential rockfall on the steep pass, and the extra food and water sustained her through the lengthy wait.
The rescue took over half a day.
“The helicopter was a time‑saving measure, and they had the capacity to also carry in our gear, which makes it easier for rescuers to get there faster if we’re not carrying as heavy packs,” Harth explained.
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While the rescue relied heavily on professional teams, the hiker’s preparedness illustrates a broader lesson for backcountry travelers: packing for unexpected delays can be as essential as planning the route itself.
In this context, the incident serves as a reminder that even in summer, high‑altitude environments can produce rapid temperature drops, and weather conditions can shift without warning. Hikers who underestimate the need for layers or communication tools risk turning a routine outing into a life‑threatening scenario.
“I had every layer that I had in my pack on, and a beanie,” recalled Laura Matthewson, a CCSAR responder. “It’s a combination of you’re sweating a little bit, and then you come to a stop, and then it’s cold. And the wind wasn’t even blowing, thank goodness.”
For the rescue teams, the episode reinforced a core belief: preparation isn’t solely for novices. The gear list—cell phone, headlamp, bright layers, bivy sack, satellite communicator, battery pack, helmet, and sustenance—represents a practical checklist that can help any backcountry traveler stay safe when conditions turn adverse.
