By Peter Roper
The Pueblo Chieftain
COLORADO CITY, Colo. — A 17-year-old Rye youth was rescued on the Greenhorn Mountain Trail about 5:20 p.m. Sunday after he’d fallen and injured himself on a day hike and called for help.
Logan Kirkendall was found about 2 miles up the mountain trail by teams from the Pueblo County Sheriff’s office. The Rye Fire Department, Beulah Fire Department and Custer County Search and Rescue took part in the search.
Kirkendall was able to walk down with searchers Sunday night and an Air Force helicopter that was on call to come to the scene was cancelled, according to Mark Mears, chief of the Pueblo County Emergency Services Bureau.
“It appears Logan did hit his head in the fall, but he was able to walk when we found him and we’re walking him to the trail head,” Mears said Sunday evening.
Sunday’s search took place against fading light. Kirkendall’s father, Chad, also had set off up the trail to find his son, and there were times that searchers weren’t certain they could locate him either.
“But I don’t believe he was ever lost,” Mears said. “He was just trying to find his son.”
Searchers encountered Kirkendall’s father about 10 minutes before they found his son. Officials thought the youth was located at about 10,000 feet on the mountain trail.
The search was intense but Kirkendall had his cell phone and was able to text for help and that he was not seriously injured, although searchers were concerned that he said he’d injured his head.
“We know he has a survival pack with him, so we’re pretty sure he’ll be okay overnight if we can’t find him during the night,” Sheriff Kirk Taylor said about 4 p.m.
Mears said about two dozen deputies and firefighters took part in Sunday’s rescue.
Radio traffic from the search teams indicated they were concerned about the young man’s condition and whether they would need to take him higher up the mountain to an area where a helicopter could reach him, or carry him back down the trail.
“Fortunately, he was able to walk himself out,” Mears said.
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