Oct 6, 2026 · 11 min · 7 segments
In this episode, Economic Development Officer Jerry Pratt meets with Sheldon Mehlhaff and Jeremy Thompson of Rocky Mountain House Search and Rescue (Rocky SAR) to discuss safety when recreating in the…
Jerry PrattHostJeremy ThompsonGuestWell, we do a lot of backcountry rescues for motorized vehicles or the off-highway vehicles, so side-by-sides, quads, dirt bikes, um, overdue hikers, people just not planning their trips accordingly, leaving too late or not being prepared if a storm does come in.
So if people aren't prepared for the hikes or they are un- unprepared in general with physical condition, any of that kind of stuff, and then they take on hikes that they figure should be three, four hours, and it takes them six or eight hours.
And a lot, a lot more people are pushing, uh, further than they would normally go because of technology with mapping apps and, uh, these e-bikes and other things that are allowing people to get further into the backcountry without maybe the necessary training or equipment.
And then that's resulting in them being, uh, having to call us, basically, so.
So in the last month, we've had three different incidents where we've had OHVs on equestrian-only trails.
A, it's illegal, and B, their machines aren't designed to go where they're trying to go.
And so then we get called in because they can't go any farther one way or the other.
Well, we do a lot of backcountry rescues for motorized vehicles or the off-highway vehicles, so side-by-sides, quads, dirt bikes, um, overdue hikers, people just not planning their trips accordingly, leaving too late or not being prepared if a storm does come in.
So if people aren't prepared for the hikes or they are un- unprepared in general with physical condition, any of that kind of stuff, and then they take on hikes that they figure should be three, four hours, and it takes them six or eight hours.
And a lot, a lot more people are pushing, uh, further than they would normally go because of technology with mapping apps and, uh, these e-bikes and other things that are allowing people to get further into the backcountry without maybe the necessary training or equipment.
And then that's resulting in them being, uh, having to call us, basically, so.
So in the last month, we've had three different incidents where we've had OHVs on equestrian-only trails.
A, it's illegal, and B, their machines aren't designed to go where they're trying to go.
And so then we get called in because they can't go any farther one way or the other.
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