COLORADO — March 28, 2026
Colorado has taken a significant step toward strengthening the state’s backcountry search and rescue system. Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW), the Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (DHSEM), and the County Sheriffs of Colorado (CSOC) have signed an Interagency Agreement to improve coordination and response during backcountry search and rescue emergencies. The agreement takes effect August 1, 2026.
The new agreement formalizes a framework that has been developing since 2023, when the state moved its Backcountry Search and Rescue Fund under CPW. It clarifies roles, establishes expectations for multi-agency cooperation, and creates a structure for deploying state resources when a local SAR team’s capacity is exceeded — something that has become increasingly common as Colorado’s outdoor recreation use continues to grow.
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What the Agreement Changes
Under the agreement, DHSEM’s statutory authority to coordinate backcountry SAR response is delegated to CPW when local resources are exceeded. County sheriffs retain full authority over search and rescue operations within their own counties. That distinction matters: the agreement does not centralize SAR command. It adds a clearer mechanism for bringing in statewide support when a local team needs it.
That support can include CPW deploying enforcement officers, drones, trained K9 units, or aircraft to assist neighboring SAR teams.
Mesa County Sheriff Todd Rowell, who also serves as CSOC Board of Directors President, framed the agreement as a practical step in supporting the county-based SAR system that Colorado relies on. He noted that the partnership provides a more reliable and accountable framework for mutual support when incidents exceed local capacity.
Why This Matters Now
Colorado’s backcountry SAR teams are almost entirely volunteer-based. They respond to avalanche incidents, hypothermia cases, missing hikers, fall injuries, and ice rescues across some of the most rugged terrain in the country — and they do it at significant personal cost. Approximately 2,500 active backcountry SAR volunteers operate in Colorado, with each volunteer spending roughly $2,000 to $2,500 per year on their own training and equipment.
That adds up to roughly $5 million annually in out-of-pocket costs borne by the volunteers themselves.
The workload has been trending upward for years, driven by record growth in outdoor recreation across the state. TNS has previously reported on the strain Colorado SAR teams are under, and the recent quadrupling of the state’s backcountry rescue fee was a direct response to that pressure. Even in the current off-season, rescues have continued — including a March 7 overnight rescue on Mount Columbia where blown snow crystals impaired a hiker’s vision, requiring a team to deploy on skis and snowshoes in freezing conditions.
The new interagency agreement is designed to ensure that when these incidents escalate beyond what a single county team can handle, the state has a clear, accountable process for getting additional resources in the field quickly.
Funding Behind the Agreement
Since the Backcountry Search and Rescue Fund was moved to CPW in 2023, the agency has awarded $6.8 million to SAR teams across the state for equipment, training, vehicles, mental health services, and operational needs.
Two primary funding mechanisms support the system. CPW’s Keep Colorado Wild Pass directs $2.5 million in annual sales to backcountry SAR programs statewide. A $1.25 surcharge included with most CPW registrations and licenses also contributes directly to the fund — the result of a fee increase approved by the Parks and Wildlife Commission in late 2025.
The voluntary Colorado Outdoor Recreation Search and Rescue (CORSAR) Card also contributes. Available for $5 (one-year) or $20 (five-year), the CORSAR card helps reimburse SAR teams for the costs they incur during missions. It is not insurance and does not cover medical transport — but purchasing one is a direct way for recreationists to financially support the system that exists to rescue them.
What Hikers Should Take Away
For anyone heading into Colorado’s backcountry this summer — whether on a 14er, a backpacking trip, or a day hike above treeline — this agreement is part of the infrastructure that exists behind the scenes to bring you home safely if something goes wrong. But it is not a substitute for preparation.
The best thing you can do to support Colorado’s SAR system is to reduce the chance that you’ll need it. That means checking weather forecasts before every trip, carrying the ten essentials, knowing your turnaround time, communicating your plans to someone who’s not on the trail with you, and being honest about your fitness and experience relative to the objective.
When you do need help, the system works because of volunteers who leave their families and jobs — sometimes in the middle of the night, in brutal conditions — to come find you. Supporting them financially through a CORSAR card or a Keep Colorado Wild Pass is one of the most tangible ways any Colorado hiker can give back.
You can purchase a CORSAR card at cpwshop.com or at any CPW sales location. The Keep Colorado Wild Pass is available for $29 with your next vehicle registration.
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