DOUGLAS COUNTY - For the second time in one day, rescuers were called to help stranded hikers on Tuesday afternoon.
Four teens called for help after they became stranded in Castlewood Canyon State Park. One had fallen into Cherry Creek and when the others pulled their friend out, they did not know how to get back to the other side of the creek. Rescuers arrived and guided them safely out.
Authorities say conditions changed rapidly along the creek due to the rain, putting the area at risk.
Earlier on Tuesday in Jefferson County, a man from Kansas was rescued in Clear Creek Canyon. He was stranded there overnight, along Highway 6, west of Golden, after he had injured his ankle. He was brought out safely after a complicated rescue.
Click here to read more about that rescue.
Authorities want hikers to know about a program that costs a few dollars, but can help them save thousands if something goes wrong while they are enjoying the outdoors.
The Colorado Outdoor Recreation Search and Rescue Card, or CORSAR makes people eligible for money from a state fund to partially reimburse rescue expenses if they get stranded in the mountains. You can buy the card at 300 retailers around the state including REI and Wal-Mart.
When you buy a CORSAR card you are contributing to the State's Search and Rescue Fund, which will reimburse these teams for costs incurred in someone's search and rescue. Anyone with a current hunting/fishing license, or boat, snowmobile, ATV registration is already covered.
CORSAR is not an insurance policy. It does not pay for medical transport and will only cover parts of the rescue expenses. However, law enforcement agencies say it can easily save someone thousands of dollars if they get in trouble in the high country.
The hiker who was stranded in Clear Creek Canyon on Monday night will likely pay thousands of dollars to reimburse his rescuers from Golden Fire, West Metro Fire, and Jefferson County Sheriff's Department. Alpine Rescue also helped, but is a volunteer organization.
Jacki Kelley with the Jefferson County Sheriff's Department says this incident was an "honest" accident. She says the hikers were prepared and responsible.
However, she added, "It still took a number of hours and caused a great deal of threat to firefighters involved in this effort and we want people to be as cautious as possible and to understand that this is not free."
"We are always happy to help out with these rescues. There are certain things we charge for and some things we don't," said Gary Armstrong, chief of the West Metro Fire District.
He says that is the reality of running an agency with budgets and personnel considerations.
"It would be very hard to justify to the tax payers of our district why we had these expenditures when it was really to help people who are outside and aren't paying those taxes," said Armstrong.
Armstrong says the costs of a rescue can get very expensive very quickly.
"You can easily get into the tens of thousands of dollars. Sometimes very expensive equipment is damaged or destroyed. We often spend a lot of money in over-time as well," he said.
The CORSAR card costs $3 for one year and $12 for five years.
