From injured hikers and stranded climbers to motorized incidents, river responses and flooded washes, Grand County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue responded to 143 calls as of Dec. 26, reflecting steady demand across the county’s diverse recreation landscape.
The team logged nearly 3,000 incident hours by Dec. 26, just shy of last year’s total and approaching the county’s 2016 high of 155 incidents, according to Vice Commander Scott Solle.
“In 2025, I wouldn’t say we saw one type of incident more than others,” said Solle, who has been with Search and Rescue since 2019. “I think the difference is we’re climbing the ladder in volume of calls.”
Since 2016, Grand County Search and Rescue has averaged about 133 incidents per year, reflecting a sustained level of activity over that period.
Solle said the 2016 peak was driven in part by staffing shortages within the National Park Service’s search and rescue operations, shifting more rescues in Arches and Canyonlands national parks to the county team. That factor did not play a significant role in 2025, he said, though he estimated the National Park Service continues to handle roughly 100 rescues annually in the area in addition to county responses.
When county and National Park Service rescues are combined, Solle said Grand County would be the busiest county in Utah for search and rescue calls.
A wide range of incidents
Search and Rescue’s calls in 2025 spanned nearly every type of terrain and recreation found in the area, from canyoneering and climbing to motorized travel, mountain biking and river use. The agency’s end-of-year summary highlighted incidents including climbers stranded partway up Castleton Tower, a canyoneer tangled in a rappel device and motorists trapped in flooded washes.
Many calls involve relatively straightforward carry-outs, where teams transport injured or exhausted recreationists using litters. Others are far more complex, requiring rope systems, swiftwater operations or helicopter coordination.
In 2025, the team responded to nine incidents requiring technical rope rescue skills and 10 calls involving boats or swiftwater expertise. Solle said those calls, while less common, carry higher risk and require significant training.
“We do a lot of what I call low frequency, but high consequence rescues,” Solle said.
(The Times-Independent) Grand County EMT Allison Jensen tends to an injured man stranded on a hoodoo at Pucker Pass in Long Canyon, an example of a low frequency, but high consequence rescue.
Solle added that few search and rescue teams nationwide train across such a wide range of disciplines.
“I don’t know of a lot of other organizations that have 13,000-foot mountains out the back door with avalanche terrain, a couple of really big rivers that run through their county and draw a mecca of base jumpers, climbers, mountain bikers and hikers,” he said. “It’s like this magnet of recreation.”
The team relies on members with diverse outdoor backgrounds, supported by regular cross-training to ensure they can operate safely in unfamiliar terrain. As of Dec. 12, the roster included 34 members and trainees, six of them active trainees. A total of 40 individuals participated on the team at some point during the year, Solle said.
Technology and preparation
Solle said advances in communication technology have changed how rescues begin and how quickly teams can locate people in distress. Satellite communicators, crash detection alerts and newer smartphones now allow people to contact 911 from remote areas with precise location data.
“It is easier than ever to reach out to first responders,” Solle said. “For the people that really need rescue, you’ve got a great way to contact 911, and we generally get an exact pinpoint on planet Earth as to where you are, so there’s less searching in search and rescue.”
While that precision has reduced time spent searching large areas, Solle said it also requires careful public messaging. He emphasized that people should not hesitate to call for help in true emergencies, but said the widespread availability of recreation information online has made it easier for people to access challenging terrain independently, sometimes without the experience or equipment those routes demand.
“Twenty years ago, you would need to be with somebody familiar with that area or that activity and have the right gear,” Solle said. “And now the internet has opened it up to the possibility that a lot of people can do this and they get in trouble.”
(The Times-Independent) A rescue helicopter departs Sister Superior after assisting with a climbing-related search and rescue operation.
Solle said preparation remains critical in Grand County’s backcountry, where conditions can change quickly and small miscalculations can escalate into serious emergencies.
The toll and the motivation
Solle said some search and rescue missions — particularly recoveries — leave lasting emotional effects on responders, including those that do not end in rescue.
“There are missions that you can go on, where you might see something that you’ll never be able to unsee, and it’ll stay with you,” Solle said. “You kind of learn how to deal with that, but it can trigger something unexpectedly. Maybe it’s because it’s a young human, or it’s someone who you can relate to within your family, or they look like your spouse, or something else — you never know.”
Search and Rescue members are paid volunteers who balance rescue duties with full-time jobs, families and other responsibilities. Solle said fatigue can build during busy stretches, particularly for those assigned to 24-hour on-call shifts, and that the cumulative strain can be both physical and emotional.
He said the team relies on peer support, county resources and an internal culture that treats mental and emotional health as seriously as physical injury.
“I like to look at our team as kind of a family,” Solle said. “Physical injuries are easy to see, but emotional, mental fatigue, those sorts of things can be tougher to see, but there are signs and we do what we can to support that.”
(The Times-Independent) Search and Rescue members assist during a rescue near Right Hand in Mill Creek.
Despite the toll, Solle said the work motivates people who want to apply outdoor skills in meaningful ways and attracts others who love being outdoors and problem-solving, including some who later volunteer after being rescued themselves.
“It’s gratifying to be able to take your passion and apply it to a situation where your knowledge is really what helps somebody out of their worst day,” he said.
Funding and community support
Grand County Search and Rescue operates under the Grand County Sheriff’s Office and is funded primarily through the county budget, including transient room tax mitigation funding. The team also relies on state reimbursements, grants and community donations to support specialized training, equipment purchases and long-duration missions.
Solle said donations are especially important for covering training costs, replacing aging equipment and supporting members during extended or overnight incidents, noting that even small contributions help keep the team prepared. He added the team faces ongoing equipment and training costs as vehicles and specialized tools wear out and calls overlap.
“Those small contributions really add up over time,” Solle said. “They allow us to take advantage of training opportunities and keep the team prepared.”
Donations can be made online through the county’s website at http://ut-grandcounty.civicplus.com/734/Donate-to-GCSAR or by mail to Grand County Search and Rescue, 25 S. 100 E, Moab, Utah 84532.
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