A 27-year-old snowboarder was airlifted to safety after a dramatic fall down a steep embankment along Rollins Pass in central Colorado. The Boulder County Communications Center received a call at approximately 2:25 p.m., reporting the incident near Skyscraper Glacier, north of Rollins Pass, according to the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office.
The snowboarder was attempting to descend the glacier when he fell, sliding and tumbling about 100 feet before coming to rest in a large crevasse. The Northern Colorado MedEvac airlifted members of the Rocky Mountain Rescue Group (RMRG) to a ridge above the snowfield to assist in the rescue effort. Additional teams from Grand County Search and Rescue, Grand County Sheriff’s Office, and Grand County EMS approached the site via ATV and foot from Corona Pass.
The Colorado Search and Rescue Association coordinated with the Colorado National Guard for a potential helicopter hoist. However, RMRG volunteers reached the injured snowboarder by traversing a 300-foot path of glacial snow. They secured the patient and provided medical treatment by 5:45 p.m. Rescuers then built an uphaul system to lift the snowboarder to the top of the glacier and over an eroding ridge, before MedEvac transported him to a local hospital around 8:10 p.m.
The rescue operation concluded at 1:00 a.m. with the assistance of multiple agencies, including the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office, Colorado Search and Rescue Association, and Grand County Search and Rescue. Video footage of the rescue is available on the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office social media platforms.
You can watch a video of the dramatic rescue below:
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