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Search & Rescue Crews Already Busy This Hiking Season

LARIMER COUNTY, Colo. (CBS4) - Three people had to be helped down by a rescue team from Horsetooth Falls in Larimer County Thursday night. It was one of three rescues.

Crews pulled three women down from Pikes Peak after one of them got sick. Three people were also stuck at the top of the first Flatiron overnight and had to be helped down.

hanging lake trail
(credit: CBS)

The spring hiking season has just started and search and rescue crews have already been very busy. The parking lot at Hanging Lake Trail on Friday was packed with vehicles from hikers eager to get out on mountain trails now that the snow is disappearing.

"Called the ranger station two days ago, made sure it was dry … definitely looked into it before we came up here," hiker Ann Marie Estrada said.

HIKER SAFETY hiking
(credit: CBS)

For Ann Marie Estrada and her family from Denver, the risks of spring time hiking are on the top of mind.

"It would be kind of hard up here because you don't have cell service or anything. You'd hope that there are other people on the trail who could help you," Alicia Estrada said. "We have a lot of stuff in our packs to be prepared for whatever the mountain will throw at us."

HIKER SAFETY hiking
(credit: CBS)

That's exactly what Vail Mountain Rescue Group leader Scott Bebe hopes all hikers are doing.

"You need to be careful when you're out on the trials," Bebe said.

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Spring adds another layer of danger for hikers. The chances for rock slides, trail flooding and rapidly changes weather conditions add up.

Having a backpack with water, food and other essentials is a must.

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