An 80-year-old hiker was rescued after sustaining a rib injury on the Thomas Lakes Trail on Oct. 3.

According to a Facebook post from Mountain Rescue Aspen (MRA), the Pitkin County Regional Emergency Dispatch Center (PCREDC) got the report of the hiker at around 2:40 p.m. The hiker had sustained a rib injury on the lower part of the Thomas Lakes Trail.

MRA responded when responders determined that the injured hiker could not walk out on their own. The hiker was taken to the trailhead on an ATV, and their hiking partners helped them there.

According to MRA, 14 members worked on this mission. Everyone was out of the field by 5:20 p.m.

During this mission to rescue the injured hiker, MRA got a report of another hiker who was lost near Mormon Lake in the upper Fryingpan drainage at around 3 p.m. The hiker was separated from their group and was off trail.

The lost hiker was able to contact PCREDC through a text to 911, and the dispatcher was able to find the location of the hiker. MRA was then able to give them directions and direct the hiker back to the trail. MRA did send a team to help the hiker, but they had already found the trail by the time the team arrived at the trailhead. Eight MRA members were involved in this mission and were out of the field by 4:40 p.m.

MRA and the Pitkin County Sheriff’s Office remind outdoor adventurers that having a dedicated emergency communication device and knowing how to use Satellite texting can help speed up the rescue process. They also said not to hesitate to press the SOS button, as devices can provide direct communication with emergency services.