From the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office
On September 22, 2025, at approximately 6:38 p.m., the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO) received a report of a missing hunter in the Rawah Wilderness area, near the Jack Dickens Trail off JCR 12E, close to the Three Sisters Trailhead. The reporting party advised that a 57-year-old male from Illinois had become separated from his group earlier in the afternoon. The last communication received from the hunter was a text message sent at 3:21 p.m., indicating he was lost. The caller further stated that the hunter was well-prepared with warm clothing, a sleeping bag, water, and prior military experience.
JCSO attempted a phone ping, but due to the device being out of service or powered off, no accurate location could be determined. With deteriorating weather conditions and darkness approaching, it was unsafe for rescuers to deploy that evening.
On September 23, Jackson County Search and Rescue (JCSAR), assisted by Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW), initiated a full search effort. Searchers faced snowy, cold, and windy conditions, and air support was unavailable due to the weather. After approximately 10 hours of extensive ground operations, the search was suspended for the night.
On September 24, search operations resumed with the assistance of multiple agencies and organizations. Ground support, which included search dogs, and air support, which was used both to search for the missing hunter and to transport rescuers into and out of the rugged backcountry, played a critical role. Search operations were especially challenging due to winter conditions, including cold temperatures, snow, and difficult terrain within the Rawah Wilderness. These factors made navigation extremely difficult for both searchers and the missing hunter.
Early that afternoon, the missing hunter was able to place several 911 calls, which were routed to surrounding agencies and helped narrow down his location. Around 1:00 p.m., the hunter was located by air support. He was found to be in good health and credited his survival to staying calm, starting a fire, and using his sleeping bag and clothing to stay warm. The hunter ultimately survived two nights in the Rawah Wilderness during winter storm conditions.
The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office extends its gratitude to all agencies and organizations who assisted in this successful search and rescue effort, including:
Albany County Sheriff’s Office (ACSO), Air Force Rescue Coordination Center (AFRCC), Arapahoe Rescue Patrol (ARP), Classic Air Medical, Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control (DFPC), Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW), Colorado Search and Rescue Association (CSAR), Front Range Rescue Dogs(FRRD), Grand County Search and Rescue (GCSAR), Grand County Sheriff’s Office (GCSO), Jackson County Search and Rescue (JCSAR), Larimer County Search and Rescue (LCSAR), Larimer County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO), Larimer Emergency Telephone Authority (LETA), Northern Colorado Regional Dispatch Center (NOCO Dispatch), Routt County Search and Rescue(RCSAR), Routt County Sheriff’s Office(RCSO), Routt County Communications (RCC)
Their dedication, expertise, and teamwork , from ground teams and K9 units to air support and coordination across multiple agencies were vital to bringing this search to a safe and successful conclusion.
On September 22, 2025, at approximately 6:38 p.m., the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO) received a report of a missing hunter in the Rawah Wilderness area, near the Jack Dickens Trail off JCR 12E, close to the Three Sisters Trailhead. The reporting party advised that a 57-year-old male from Illinois had become separated from his group earlier in the afternoon. The last communication received from the hunter was a text message sent at 3:21 p.m., indicating he was lost. The caller further stated that the hunter was well-prepared with warm clothing, a sleeping bag, water, and prior military experience.
JCSO attempted a phone ping, but due to the device being out of service or powered off, no accurate location could be determined. With deteriorating weather conditions and darkness approaching, it was unsafe for rescuers to deploy that evening.
On September 23, Jackson County Search and Rescue (JCSAR), assisted by Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW), initiated a full search effort. Searchers faced snowy, cold, and windy conditions, and air support was unavailable due to the weather. After approximately 10 hours of extensive ground operations, the search was suspended for the night.
On September 24, search operations resumed with the assistance of multiple agencies and organizations. Ground support, which included search dogs, and air support, which was used both to search for the missing hunter and to transport rescuers into and out of the rugged backcountry, played a critical role. Search operations were especially challenging due to winter conditions, including cold temperatures, snow, and difficult terrain within the Rawah Wilderness. These factors made navigation extremely difficult for both searchers and the missing hunter.
Early that afternoon, the missing hunter was able to place several 911 calls, which were routed to surrounding agencies and helped narrow down his location. Around 1:00 p.m., the hunter was located by air support. He was found to be in good health and credited his survival to staying calm, starting a fire, and using his sleeping bag and clothing to stay warm. The hunter ultimately survived two nights in the Rawah Wilderness during winter storm conditions.
The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office extends its gratitude to all agencies and organizations who assisted in this successful search and rescue effort, including:
Albany County Sheriff’s Office (ACSO), Air Force Rescue Coordination Center (AFRCC), Arapahoe Rescue Patrol (ARP), Classic Air Medical, Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control (DFPC), Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW), Colorado Search and Rescue Association (CSAR), Front Range Rescue Dogs(FRRD), Grand County Search and Rescue (GCSAR), Grand County Sheriff’s Office (GCSO), Jackson County Search and Rescue (JCSAR), Larimer County Search and Rescue (LCSAR), Larimer County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO), Larimer Emergency Telephone Authority (LETA), Northern Colorado Regional Dispatch Center (NOCO Dispatch), Routt County Search and Rescue(RCSAR), Routt County Sheriff’s Office(RCSO), Routt County Communications (RCC)
Their dedication, expertise, and teamwork , from ground teams and K9 units to air support and coordination across multiple agencies were vital to bringing this search to a safe and successful conclusion.
