Missing Bayfield Family Found Safe in Wilderness

Tuesday, July 19, 2016 at 12:00 AM

From the LaPlata Co. Sheriff's office:

An Australian family vacationing in the Weminuche Wilderness Area northeast of Durango helped bring a Bayfield, Colorado family’s unplanned 3 day “walkabout” to a happy ending.

On Saturday, 33 year old Dustin Beaver took his 6 year old son and his 8 year old twin son and daughter on what was supposed to be a hike to Dollar Lake. Beaver said faulty directions from a hiker from Texas caused him to go in the wrong direction. After two days of wandering, he spotted the family from Australia and asked them for help. The Aussies assisted Beaver and his three children down the mountain and escorted them to Pine River Trail. They reached the trailhead northeast of Vallecito between 8:00PM and 8:30PM Monday night. They were met by a member of La Plata County Search & Rescue and taken to Granite Peaks Ranch where they were checked out by Upper Pine Fire Rescue personnel. They were found to be in good condition. Beaver said they had food, water and a tent during the ordeal and were able to start a campfire each night. Their only complaint were the many bug bites over three days.

At least 30 people from La Plata Search & Rescue, helicopters from Flight For Life and the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, and the La Plata County Office of Emergency Management took part in Monday’s search. Two or three military helicopters from the US Air Force and Colorado National Guard were preparing to join search efforts when the combined Aussie-American group made it out to the trailhead where communication could be established.

Names or hometown of the Australian family who helped rescue the Beaver family were not available Monday night.

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