Two men in a snow-stranded vehicle in Pike National Forest for about 21 hours were rescued Friday by a Colorado Army National Guard helicopter crew.

About 3 p.m. Thursday the Douglas Regional Dispatch Center received a call from a man who said he was with two others, and their vehicle, about five miles north of the South County Line on Rampart Range Road, where they were stuck in the snow, according to a Douglas County Sheriff’s Office news release.

A deputy was dispatched and after about two hours, as snow fell in the recent storm that pounded northeastern Colorado, the trio was found at Rampart Range Road and Fern Creek Road, the release said.

The deputy tried to pull the car free but was unable because of the deep snow, which was continuing to fall. Nearby Woodland Park received 11 inches of snow on Thursday, according to local weather watchers.

The deputy decided to leave the vehicle and take the men to Woodland Park, but he could only take one person at a time due to limited space in the deputy’s truck.

“After dropping off the first person, the deputy attempted to return to the other two occupants, but the snow had worsened so much he could not reach them in his vehicle,” the release said.

Search and rescue teams from Douglas and El Paso counties were called in to assist, but by that time the fast-moving storm had toppled several trees, blocking the road. The Douglas County Office of Emergency Management also responded and rescuers worked through the night, including using chainsaws to cut fallen trees and remove toppled trees from the road.

About 5:30 a.m. Friday, the national guard was called to attempt an air rescue, the sheriff’s office said. Just before noon, the helicopter crew rescued the two men, flying them to Centennial Airport where they were transferred to a hospital.

“I am extremely proud of our first responders and all the other agencies that came together to save these individuals,” Sheriff Darren Weekly said in the release.

Editor’s Note: This story was updated May 13, a Colorado Army National Guard helicopter crew rescued the two men.

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