Yesterday PCSAR received a call for a lost family that was hiking somewhere at Natural Bridge State Park. It was an elderly couple with two 9 year old grandchildren that was supposed to meet their family on top of Natural Bridge at 3:00, but never showed up. The couple were from Ukraine and only spoke broken English, but the grandchildren spoke perfect English. They were not able to tell us what trail they were on, or bring up their GPS coordinates on their phone. The only thing they knew was they saw some orange diamond shape signs and some signs with turtles on the trees. That instantly told us they were on Sand Gap trail, the longest trail at the park. With darkness and cold weather quickly approaching, a hasty team was sent out to Sand Gap trail. After nearly 2 miles of hiking, the family was able to hear the whistle blasts from the team. After finding the family in good health, they were hiked back out of the woods and back to the rest of their family. They said they had a big meal planned for Thanksgiving and we were happy we could help them make it to that dinner.
#pocosar #RRG #SAR
A friend and me somehow ended up on the sand gap trail in our early teens. I still haven’t got brave enough to hit that one again lol glad everything turned out ok! So thankful for our rescue people!!
We are all thankful for the PCSAR team! ❤️
I know it will be uncommon but if you ever have more people lost on this trail its easily accessable for us over here at LCSAR
Great Job as Always. ❤
Bless your hearts!! Thank you for your continued sacrifices to help others
Good work!! Thankful for all involved
Great job! Happy Thanksgiving!
Thanks PCSAR for all your service. And prayers for a safe return.
Many thanks for your devoted service to visitors to our beautiful area!
Thank you for your service! All of us send our gratitude.
Thank you so much! Would've been devastating for them going into the night like that.
Great job !! Big thank you to the rescue team 👏
Another great rescue. Thanks for your service.
Thank you for all you do, 24/7! I am comforted just knowing there is such a capable team here.
Awesome thanks for all your help rescuing them
So proud of our rescue team!
Great job rescue team
Awesome jobwhat a great asset to the people of Ky, for the love🥾🥾
Thank you thank you for your dedication 🙏🇺🇸
Thank you for finding them!
Thank you for your service.
Great job team!!
The area is blessed to have this group
Thank you all for helping those people!
Great job!
Winter Hiking Tips
The winter months are a great time to hike. It is a way of beating the crowds, especially during the weekdays. But winter hiking takes a bit more planning due to safety concerns caused by lower temperatures and possible winter storm conditions.
Here is a short list to keep in mind when planning a winter hike.
• Winter hikes take longer than summer hikes. Hikers tend to move more slowly during colder weather and snow and ice may have created unplanned obstacles.
• Winter days are shorter, so don’t plan a hike that can’t be finished before dark. Temperatures may drop rapidly after the sun goes down.
•Snow and leaves may have hidden trails, so pay extra attention to direction of travel and keep a map and compass in your pack.
• Cold temperatures could cause problems with technology, so make sure you have a backup light, batteries and method of navigation.
• Dress in layers and remove or add layers as needed. Sweat is not your friend during winter hikes.
• Exercise during the winter requires more calories than summer hikes. Keeping well fueled helps keep you warm and ready to travel.
• Staying hydrated during the winter is just as important as during the summer. Dehydration expedites the onset of hypothermia. If you feel thirsty, you are probably already dehydrated.
• Do not leave home unless you have given someone your hiking itinerary.
• Crampons or Yaktrax may be needed for snow and ice travel.
• And lastly, always have a pack that contains your “essential ten”, winter storms come in fast and snow and ice accumulation is sometimes heavy.
We hope this helps as you plan your next winter hiking adventure. And as always we are here for any questions!
#pocosar #RRG
Winter hiking is the best. There’s something about the quiet, still, vastness of winter. ❄️⛄️
Thanks for the tips!
Yaktrax are the best!!!
Beautiful
We are always thankful for the wonderful businesses that support us and what we do. Please stop by Miguel's Pizza Thursday for a great meal.
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**MEMBER SPOTLIGHT**
Meet Travis L Strange…POCOSAR member for 6 years, Aircraft Mechanic and a local resident of Powell County. After the snowstorm of January 2015 and seeing social media posts of the SAR team checking on the elderly and sick that were snowed in, Travis wanted to be part of helping those in need. Since then, he has taken many training classes and is now certified in #RopeRescue, #IceRescue, #WildernessFirstAid, #CPR and Pack Mule. Ropes is what tugs at Travis’ heart. Although he is very familiar with the latest and greatest rope gear and techniques, he is always eager to learn more. His favorite trail in the Red River Gorge is Auxier Ridge and least favorite is Osborne Bend/Douglas Trail. When asked what his favorite gear is, he said, ‘My backpack. It holds things better than I can.’ He would like to encourage people to take water, a flashlight (with spare batteries) and a first aid kit every time you go on a trail. The team knows that when Travis isn’t working on aircraft, he is more than likely working on tying knots. Thank you, Travis, for all you do for #POCOSAR!!
D-9!!! He is definitely a ropes expert! The best thing about having Travis on the team is that he is always wanting to learn something new and share that knowledge.
Congratulations Travis!
Awesome guy !! Thanks for all you do Travis.
Keep up the good work man!!
Does he work on Citabrias?
👏
Travis is a great guy thanks for all you do buddy !!!!
Thank you for what you do
Ole D-9!!!
That’s my boy d-9, great dude!
Super guy!
Thank you for your service!
Are you ready to add some excitement in your life while helping others? Powell County Search and Rescue is looking for some local volunteers, or someone who is a regular visitor to the area, to join our team. We will provide training in high angle rope rescue, man tracking, lost person behavior, water rescue, land navigation, and wilderness first aid. (We also have a wilderness medical team that serves our area Red STAR Wilderness EMS) We need motivated people who are ready to step up to the challenge of being a SAR member.
Did we mention that we have the best office view anywhere?
Here are some pictures from our training this weekend with Red River Rescue. If you would like to be a part of the team, go to our web site and fill out an application. We will be having a meeting this Saturday @9:00. Message us for more details.
www.pocosar.org/join/
#pocosar
Good work guys