La Plata County Search and Rescue members spent 11 hours Sunday night and Monday morning rescuing two motorcyclists who became stranded on the Hermosa Creek Trail north of Durango.
The two motorcyclists, identified only as local men, were reported overdue about 8 p.m. Sunday, said Ron Corkish, president of Search and Rescue. The wife of one of the men reported the men overdue, he said.
The men apparently found themselves on terrain they weren’t able to navigate, so they abandoned their motorcycles to make their way out on foot, Corkish said. Search and rescue crews were unsure if the men were injured, so they called Flight for Life to help search for the men and be ready to offer medical assistance if needed, he said.
The helicopter spotted at least one of the men and gave GPS coordinates to ground crews. For some reason, the men became separated, so crews had to find both men. They were found about 7.4 miles south of the north Hermosa Creek Trailhead, in the 416 Fire burn area, Corkish said.
Neither man suffered injury.
The mission, which involved 13 people, came to an end at 7 a.m. Monday.
“Of course, we’re all back to work today,” Corkish said. “... Today is going to be a long day.”
shane@durangoherald.com