Each year, there are more than 1,000 search-and-rescue missions across the National Park System. Did you ever wonder how the rangers go about staging a SAR mission, as they're called. In this week's National Parks Traveler podcast, we talk to the SAR experts at Rocky Mountain National Park to better understand what's involved when the call goes out for help.

During the conversation Mike Lukens, a climbing ranger at Rocky Mountain, explains what a "hasty search" is, discusses short hauls and hoisting injured visitors, and even explains the use of computer programs to help narrow search areas. You can find the podcast here.