MESA COUNTY, Colo - At approximately 12:30 Tuesday afternoon, the Grand Junction Regional Communication Center received an SOS message from a satellite emergency notification device.
Dispatchers determined a 50-year-old hunter and his 27-year-old son were lost in the snowstorm on the Uncompahgre.
Mesa County Sheriff’s Office and the Mesa County Search and Rescue Team immediately responded to their GPS coordinates in the area of Kelso Point. Due to the remote location, an outfitter in the area was also called to help reach the two hunters quickly.
Both were found very cold but safe. With rapidly changing weather conditions, rescue crews attribute their safe return to the GPS emergency notification device they were carrying.
The Mesa County Sheriff’s Office would like to remind anyone recreating or hunting in the wilderness to prepare for extreme temperature conditions, especially this time of year. Even if you are only going out for a short time, always be prepared with extra water, food, and clothes. GPS devices are an excellent tool to help navigate. Make sure you are familiar with the technology and using it before going out.
