Search and rescue teams recover body at Colorado national park

MOSCA, Colo. — Alamosa Volunteer Search and Rescue (AVSAR) announced on Thursday that they recovered a deceased hunter at the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve (GSRA).

AVSAR, Saguache County Search and Rescue (SAGSAR) and the GSRA collaborated in the search for a hunter, Lance Walker of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, who had not been seen since the evening of Oct. 30, according to the media release. The hunters were in the area of Saguache County near Sand Creek, on the northern side of GRSA.

When Walker didn’t make it back to camp the night of Oct. 30 and was not back by the morning of Oct. 31, the hunting party triggered the SOS feature on a satellite device, the media release says. One member of the party, the missing hunter’s brother, went out on foot to try to find him, AVSAR said.

The brother later contacted responding teams and reported that Walker was found deceased in an area of rough terrain, according to the release.

Over 20 team members from three different teams responded to the incident. Helicopter assistance was not available the first day of operations due to weather conditions, AVSAR said. Team members worked on foot to confirm Walker’s location and to help his brother out of the field safely.

On Nov. 1, rescue teams were able to extract Walker in very difficult terrain, according to the media release. It is unclear on how he died or what he died from.