Serious accident on Bear/Blanca Traverse

[Mountainsroam_2012]

On August 2, 2026, AVSAR was dispatched to a report of a climber who had fallen approximately 50 feet while traversing between Little Bear Peak and Blanca Peak. Initial reports indicated the patient had come to rest on a narrow ledge with significant exposure, creating an immediate risk of a secondary fall. The reporting party advised that the patient had sustained an open fracture to the lower leg with severe bleeding. A makeshift tourniquet had been applied to control the hemorrhage, and the patient's pain level was reported as 10/10. The reporting party stated that the patient was an experienced climber who fell after a handhold failed during the traverse.
Due to the technical terrain, the patient's unstable location, and the potential for further injury, AVSAR leadership immediately requested aviation support from the Colorado Army National Guard (COANG). AVSAR simultaneously paged its membership and requested additional resources, including LIFELINE 5 and AVSAR's specialized 4x4 response team. Incident Command was established, and responding resources were coordinated to support both the rescue operation and logistics.
Upon arrival at the Lake Como Road helipad, AVSAR personnel and equipment were staged for aerial transport. LIFELINE 5 inserted rescue personnel into the Crater Lake Basin below the Little Bear–Blanca Traverse while additional AVSAR personnel transported technical rescue equipment via 4x4 vehicles to support operations from the ground.
Following insertion into the Crater Lake Basin, two AVSAR rescuers, including one EMT, began hiking to the patient's location to initiate patient assessment and medical care. Shortly after the ground team reached the traverse, the Colorado Army National Guard arrived on scene to conduct a technical hoist operation. Two rescue technicians were inserted to assist with patient packaging and prepare the patient for extraction.
Once the patient was securely packaged, the COANG Black Hawk successfully completed the hoist, extracting both the patient and one rescue technician from the mountainside. Due to the remote location and technical terrain, it was also determined that the reporting party would be evacuated by helicopter. Following the extraction, the helicopter transported the patient and reporting party to Alamosa Airport, where the patient was transferred directly to LIFELINE 5 for continued transport and advanced medical care.
Following completion of the aerial evacuation, AVSAR personnel recovered technical equipment and the patient's camping gear before beginning their descent down Lake Como Rd. AVSAR's 4x4 team transported personnel and equipment back to Incident Command. The reporting party was returned to Incident Command, where they were reunited with their personal vehicle and recovered equipment.
The mission was completed without injury to rescue personnel. Coordination between AVSAR, the Colorado Army National Guard, LIFELINE 5, and EMS resulted in the rapid stabilization, technical extraction, and evacuation of the patient from an extremely hazardous environment.
This incident highlights the objective hazards present on the Little Bear–Blanca Traverse, where rock failure and significant exposure can result in life-threatening injuries regardless of a climber's experience level. The patient's use of a climbing helmet likely reduced the severity of injuries sustained during the fall. Additionally, the immediate hemorrhage control measures provided by a medically trained bystander prior to rescuers' arrival played a critical role in stabilizing the patient and contributed to a successful outcome. The coordinated response between ground rescue personnel, aviation assets, and medical resources demonstrated the effectiveness of early resource requests and interagency cooperation during high-angle rescue operations.

We cannot thank our responding assets enough for their continued support and life saving efforts
Alamosa County Sheriff's Office
REACH Air Medical Services
Eagle Air Med
Colorado National Guard
Colorado Search and Rescue Association - CSAR

To directly support our ALL VOLUNTEER team, please visit: https://www.coloradogives.org/donate/Alamosa-SAR

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1HAb1YnZnK/

[seannunn]

Once again, thank you SAR for your selfless dedication to helping people in need.
Personally I have never needed SAR, and I hope that streak continues.
But I am very grateful for them, as all climbers should be.

Sean Nunn
Peculiar, MO

[Jorts]

Nice work AVSAR!

[Watlas]

Someone on the reddit 14ers page is claiming that this actually occurred on the LB WRID route. Can anyone confirm or deny this?

[madmattd]

Someone on the reddit 14ers page is claiming that this actually occurred on the LB WRID route. Can anyone confirm or deny this?

There was a death on that route a few weeks ago, maybe that person is conflating the 2 incidents? I'm inclined to believe AVSAR's reporting as to where the accident occurred.

[bigredmachine]

Separate incident… This one was definitely on the traverse

[daway8]

Yes, the pictures along with the description make it unmistakably clear that this current incident happened on the Little Bear - Blanca Traverse, and from the photos it looks like it was near the far end of the Traverse, closer to the Blanca side of things (on the first part of the Traverse a fall off the ridge would likely not be survivable).

But as madmattd referred to, there was a fatality not long ago on the West Ridge Indirect (WRI) route.

So glad for a positive outcome on this one - incredible work by SAR and all those involved!

[Hungry Jack]

Wow. Incredible effort by SAR and National Guard pilots.