Search and rescue team pulling up an individual who fell over a rocky ledge.
Colorado Backcountry Search and Rescue Program
Colorado Backcountry Search and Rescue organizations are 100% volunteer-based and provide search and rescue services throughout Colorado, free of charge, to those stranded, lost or injured in the backcountry. BSAR services are county-based and are authorized/coordinated by the County Sheriffs for each response incident.
If you are experiencing an emergency in the backcountry, call 911.
Help Fund Your Volunteer Responders
Dedicated volunteer search and rescue professionals across Colorado are ready to mobilize to help those stranded, lost, or injured in the Colorado backcountry. Because of your support and the tremendous generosity of our search and rescue responders Colorado is a safer place to play.
Colorado Outdoor Recreation Search and Rescue Card
Your Colorado Outdoor Recreation Search and Rescue Card contribution supplies reimbursements to search and rescue teams for costs incurred while conducting search and rescue operations and provides funding for the purchase of search and rescue-related equipment and training. The card is not insurance for the purchaser and does not reimburse individuals for medical expenses or pay for medical transport. You can choose to puchase a 1-year card for $5 or a 5-year card for $20.
Purchase a Colorado Outdoor Recreation Search and Rescue CardKeep Colorado Wild Pass
The Keep Colorado Wild Pass is so much more than a parks pass. Your pass supports the volunteer search and rescue professionals across Colorado. Funding from the pass may used to provide equipment, supplement disasters or support health resources for counties across the state. Your support for these tremendously generous search and rescue responders makes Colorado a safer place to play.
Purchase a Keep Colorado Wild PassWhat Do the Funds Pay For?
Mental Health Training for Backcountry Search and Rescue 1st Responders
Colorado Parks and Wildlife has established a partnership for providing first responder mental health to those who are participating members on search and rescue team in Colorado.
Team Equipment
Backcountry Search and Rescue teams are in constant need of equipment to meet the demands of the backcountry terrain and to keep rescuers safe. Types of equipment purchased vary widely based on the team size, geography of incident territory, number of incidents in a county, number of team members, types of rescues frequently conducted. Equipment needs are diverse ranging from small bandaids to large vehicles.
Rescuer Trainings
All rescuers are medically trained professionals and have developed skills necessary for reaching and rescuing people in any season and in all Colorado backcountry terrain. Training is an ongoing necessity to keep rescuers adept in their skills; Whether on a remote mountainside during a blizzard or on an exposed mountain cliff in the summer, rescuers are trained for their role. Every incident demands a high level of rescuer skill to find, reach, address the emergent needs and extract the subject.
Backcountry Search and Rescue Study
In 2021, a study of the Backcountry Search and Rescue system was conducted for the purpose of identifying focused areas of need within the system of coordination to support long-term sustainability.
How Funds are Distributed
Search and rescue funds are distributed to organizations in three ways.
After a backcountry search and rescue incident concludes, the County in which the incident occurred sends a request to Colorado Parks and Wildlife for reimbursement. If the subject of the incident has a CORSAR card or eligible Parks and Wildlife license or registration, a reimbursement payment is processed immediately. If the subject of the search does not have a CORSAR Card or eligible Parks and Wildlife license or registration, the request for reimbursement is held until the end of the year. If money is available in the fund at the end of the year, the requesting county receives reimbursement.
At the end of every state fiscal year, funds remaining in the BSAR Fund are divided among counties with coordinated BSAR teams. This fund is used to purchase training and equipment over a 9-month timeframe.
Using funds from Keep Colorado Wild, $1.5m is divided annually among eligible counties to be used over a 2-year period to purchase items based on a county-designed project. The intent for this funding is to be a semi-fixed funding source that flexibly accommodates team strategies for priority purchases over time.
All reimbursement requests must be certified by the sheriff and submitted to CPW, using the 'Incident Reimbursement Request' Google Document below, within 60 days of the incident end date. Contact the BSAR Program Manager if you intend to submit a request late or have any other questions.
Currently Closed: Applications for funding open every January with a deadline in March and May with a deadline in June.
How You Can Play a Role
Volunteering for a Backcountry Search and Rescue Team
Backcountry Search and Rescue in Colorado is a 100% volunteer-based service that functions under the authority and coordination of the County Sheriff. Being a backcountry search and rescue member is a challenging and rewarding life-saving service. Visit the Colorado Search and Rescue Association website for a Colorado County Map and contact information of active Backcountry Search and Rescue Organizations. Most Backcountry Search and Rescue Team websites provide information about how to become a member with team contact information if you have further questions.
Backcountry Search and Rescue Council
The primary goal of the Backcountry Search and Rescue Council is to faithfully serve the citizens of Colorado by providing expert BSAR opinions and advice to the Colorado Parks and Wildlife about systemic enhancements and about the disbursement of funds from the Backcountry Search and Rescue Fund.