August 26, 2014 -- (San Miguel County, Telluride, CO) – A San Miguel County
Search and Rescue (SAR) team rescued a lost and stranded elderly couple from the
Lizard Head Wilderness Wednesday morning.
The Moab, Utah couple told Sheriff Deputies they were mushroom hunting in the
Lizard Head Wilderness area Tuesday and intended to return to their vehicle
parked at the Cross Mountain trailhead that evening.
The 69 year-old male, David Bodner, called relatives Wednesday morning
indicating they were lost and cold, with concern that his wife, 67 year-old Meeche
Bodner, was hypothermic. The couple had spent the night in the wilderness.
A 9-1-1 call was received at 0635 Wednesday from the couple’s family, and San
Miguel County Sheriff’s Office immediately launched a search and rescue mission.
Approximately a dozen SMSO Search and Rescue personnel were dispatched to
the scene with assistance of a Olathe Spray Services helicopter and pilot. Six
members from Rico Fire were also staged on scene with their equipment and
ATVs.
At 0941 a Sheriff Deputy established contact with the couple from the helicopter.
Sheriff Bill Masters said the search and rescue mission was relatively quick. “We
were able to locate them on initial air approaches, and a safe extrication was
accomplished quickly. “