The 1990’s saw some busy rescue years with some days having 5 missions in a day! Group membership was around 55 people. A freight train derailment in 1991 near Pinecliffe in South Boulder Creek Canyon led to a tricky recovery of the remains of a two-man locomotive crew. In 1992 in what became known as the "Pawnee No Pass" mission, three people and three dogs were stranded for 8 days and rescued in a gully near Pawnee Pass after going off-route. In the same year, after decades of practicing, we had our first in-county avalanche search mission at Lost Lake west of Eldora. The individual buried in the avalanche did not survive. In 1995, a high school student took a 70+ ft. fall in the Amphitheater of Gregory Canyon sustaining massive injuries, but fortunately surviving thanks in part to a quick response by RMRG. The cable winch system was retired in 1999 after decades of use.
1991 - Henry & June Plane Crash, Devils Thumb Pass
On March 18, 1991 a plane flown by Henry and June Berger experienced engine problems (NTSB Report) and was unable to clear Devils Thumb Pass. They made a violent emergency landing in deep snow below the pass (photo at left). The Bergers survived the crash. RMRG searched for and found them that night and arranged for their helicopter air ambulance evacuation to Denver area hospitals. Chronology of RMRG activity in the Henry and June mission (3 pp, PDF).