By Chris Mannara
Staff Writer
Two search and rescue missions were accomplished over the last week by local agencies to assist hikers with injured ankles.
On June 29 around 1:30 p.m., the Archuleta County Sheriff’s Office of Emergency Management (OEM) received a page that there was a female subject who suffered an ankle injury on the Treasure Falls trail.
Deputy of Emergency Operations Wes Laverty described this hiker’s injury as an “unstable” ankle injury.
“It was definitely deformed and swollen,” he said.
Laverty noted he did not know exactly how the female hurt her ankle, but assumed “she tripped and fell.”
OEM personnel, as well as representatives from Upper San Juan Search and Rescue and Pagosa Springs Medical Center (PSMC) EMS, hiked up to the patient and delivered her to the ambulance around 2:40 p.m., Laverty described.
On July 5, another female hiker was reported with an ankle injury, this time on the Piedra Falls trail.
The OEM received the page around 12:45 p.m. with personnel from OEM, Upper San Juan Search and Rescue and PSMC EMS arriving on scene around 1:40 p.m.
This ankle injury was also described by Laverty as “unstable.”
The female hiker was delivered to the ambulance by 3:21 p.m., Laverty noted.
According to Laverty, the female twisted her ankle while hiking.
