CHAFFEE COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE

Salida, Colorado

PRESS RELEASE

For immediate release

On 09/23/15 the Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office was contacted in regards to two overdue female hikers. According to a family member of one of the hikers, Kennah Karner, age 22 and Katie Mayer, age 21, both from the Denver metro area had gone hiking in the Mt Belford/Mt Oxford area and had failed to call when they were expected to leave the area.

Chaffee County Sheriff personnel responded to the Missouri Gulch trailhead and located the vehicle belonging to the overdue hikers.

Chaffee County Search and Rescue North was contacted and a search was launched in the early morning hours of 09/24/15.

Ground crews from both Chaffee County Search and Rescue North and Chaffee County Search and Rescue South began to scour the area.

Flight for Life and the Air National Guard, HATC Unit were called and both sent helicopters to the area to assist with the search.

At approximately 1130 hours Flight for Life personnel spotted one of the missing hikers on a rocky slide area on Missouri Mountain. The Air National Guard was also in the area and was able to use their pulley system and pull the female into the chopper. A short time later the second hiker was spotted along with the two dogs she was hiking with. Ground SAR members were directed to the second female and she was escorted out of the area on foot by SAR members.

Neither of the hikers required medical attention.