In 2000, RMRG moved our base of operations from our long time 'Cage' room in the UMC building on the CU Boulder campus to the Pridemark Paramedic Services facility at 33rd and Walnut. In 2002, we regained space at the UMC to add to our base facilities. RMRG membership has stabilized at roughly 60 members. An avalanche at Yankee Doodle Lake November 28, 2001 swept Joe Despres and his skiing partner into the ice-covered lake. A large night avalanche search ensued and Despres' remains were eventually found in the lake. July 27, 2002, we rescued Michael Covotsos, who was critically injured on a fall off the 2nd Flatiron. Fortunately Michael survived his injuries. March 19 - 20, 2003 saw a 7 ft. snowstorm and resulting avalanches that stranded 150 people at Eldora Mountain Ski Resort for up to 3 days. RMRG rescued an additional approximately 100 motorists stranded on the Shelf (Eldora access) road. RMRG performed two long mid-wall loading vertical evacuations in 2004 on the Red Garden Wall in Eldorado Springs State Park. 2006 had a dramatic mission with an evacuation down the face of the Third Flatiron.
2006
At 5:15 AM on August 30, 2006 we received a page for a critically injured hiker in Eldorado Canyon. A massive search effort ensued expending 5 days and 7,000 person-hours. This was the search for Lance Hering, a Marine who staged his disappearance to avoid returning to duty. RMRG organized search efforts including searchers from 13 mountain rescue teams, emergency service agencies, helicopters, a volunteer group of Marines, and search dogs. Search efforts and the subsequent revelation of the circumstances of the staged disappearance briefly captured national media attention.