ALAMOSA — The new helipad serving Alamosa Volunteer Search and Rescue (AVSAR) was used almost as soon as it was finished when, on Sunday, a pair of hikers had to be helped off the mountain after finding they could not make the traverse between Little Bear and Blanca.

According to Alamosa County Sheriff Robert Jackson, the pair were attempting the traverse largely viewed as one of the most dangerous of the fourteener traverses in Colorado, when they were overcome with exhaustion and fatigue, helped in no small part by a minor knee injury suffered by one of the hikers, which made walking difficult.

Fortunately, AVSAR was in the general area doing training when they received the 911 call. A helicopter from the Division of Fire Prevention and Control (DFPC) was called into use with Alamosa County’s brand-new helipad providing the perfect place to land and take off.

After having to wait for the winds to die down, the helicopter took off, and a crew of volunteers inserted themselves into the area, hiked to where the pair was waiting and brought them down to a snowfield where the helicopter could then take them off the mountain.

That was not the only help the pair received. They had also been camping at Lake Como and left their dog at the camp. Luckily, there were several “rock crawlers” available — large pick-up trucks able to travel across rough terrain — and volunteers were able to take the pair’s camping gear and canine companion where both needed to go.