CPW Trails Program and Backcountry Search and Rescue host Winter Skills Training for outdoor first responders in local communities

Bridget O'Rourke
Statewide Public Information Officer
720-219-2919
[email protected] CPW Trails Program and Backcountry Search and Rescue host Winter Skills Training for outdoor first responders in local communities

DATE: March 12, 2026

DENVER - Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s (CPW) State Trails Program and Backcountry Search and Rescue Program (BSAR) hosted a four-day Winter Skills Training at Steamboat Lake State Park for outdoor first responders to improve snowmobile riding, winter survival, avalanche awareness and rescue skills. 

BSAR teams throughout Colorado are a network of first responders who provide critical, life-saving services to the public. These teams are affiliated with county sheriff's offices and are composed of dedicated, highly skilled volunteers. 

“CPW is committed to supporting volunteer BSAR teams across the state so they can feel confident when responding to incidents in their local communities,” said CPW BSAR Program Manager Perry Boystun. “We had the privilege of offering a multi-agency training with 24 participants from 10 agencies. We’re grateful for the commitment across BSAR teams to proactively train together so we can jump into action, collaborate and quickly respond to emergencies when we’re needed.”

County participants from Arapahoe, Hinsdale, Routt, Jackson, Boulder, Lake and Eagle all attended, as did state and federal partners from the National Park Service, the Colorado Avalanche Information Center, and the Division of Fire Prevention and Control. 

“Building these personal connections between the different agencies makes our small SAR teams feel much less isolated, and overall better prepared,” said Paul Holder from the West Elk Mountain Rescue Team out of Gunnison. 

Participants learn snowmobile laws and safety, basic sled mechanics, riding techniques, avalanche safety, winter survival skills and common mistakes people make in the backcountry during the winter months.  

Colorado is known for world-class winter recreation. However, knowing how to navigate Colorado’s extreme weather, ice and avalanche terrain with the proper gear and training is paramount to a safe winter adventure. Those who get caught in avalanches, suffer from hypothermia, get lost on snow-covered trails, or fall through ice call local search-and-rescue teams for help. The annual Winter Skills Training helps prepare outdoor professionals to respond to and assist recreationalists in need. 

Since the Backcountry Search and Rescue Fund (BSAR Fund) was moved to CPW in 2023, CPW has awarded $6.882 million to BSAR teams throughout the state for equipment and training. Using CPW BSAR funds, many counties have purchased snowmobiles, avalanche gear and avalanche rescue training to ensure enough volunteers are skilled, equipped and safe when entering the snowy backcountry to search for injured or stranded subjects. 

Snowmobile registration fees in particular help support winter trail maintenance and safety efforts, including specialized training opportunities that prepare search-and-rescue volunteers to respond in Colorado’s snowy backcountry.  With the kick-off of the Colorado big game hunting draw and fishing season this month, hunters and anglers who buy licenses and pay a $1.25 Colorado Backcountry Search and Rescue (BSAR) fee also play a critical role in allocating funds to Colorado search-and-rescue volunteers. 

“Colorado’s snowmobile community plays an important role in supporting both our State Trails Program by purchasing CPW products and contributing to our statewide BSAR Fund,” said Assistant Director for Outdoor Recreation and Lands Fletcher Jacobs. “Through snowmobile registration fees, riders help fund Colorado’s winter trails system and training opportunities like this one that prepare search-and-rescue volunteers to respond when emergencies happen in Colorado’s backcountry.”

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