Man rescued with life-threatening injuries in Rocky Mountain National Park

Yesterday afternoon Rocky Mountain National Park rangers were contacted via cell phone by a 31-year-old man who indicated he had fallen an unknown distance while glissading down Gabletop Mountain, which is above Loomis Lake. He reported numerous injuries.

The US Forest Service Northern Colorado helicopter used earlier in the day for the body recovery from Longs Peak was utilized for aerial reconnaissance. Using cell phone GPS coordinates, rangers were able to determine his general location below Gabletop Mountain and aerial surveillance confirmed his exact location. The photo below shows the spot where the man was initially found:

The climber was located in a remote high alpine environment in a steep cirque above Loomis Lake at approximately 11,300 feet. Loomis Lake is located southwest of Spruce Lake. Before night fall a team of four park rangers were flown to Loomis Lake. Equipment was also flown into the area. Due to the terrain and severe thunderstorms, the man was forced to bivouac overnight in the backcountry.

As rangers worked to reach the man they were able to maintain contact with him via cellphone, and asked if he could work his way down across a rock band and towards a snow field that the rangers were heading towards. Just after midnight rangers finally reached the man.

Rocky Mountain National Park spokeswoman, Kyle Patterson, said that the climber was "ambulatory but had life-threatening injuries".

This morning rangers rescued the man by lowering him 500 feet with ropes, and then assisted him an additional 700 feet down steep mountainous terrain to Loomis Lake. A paramedic on the park's rescue team provided advanced life support throughout the incident. At approximately 8:30 a.m. this morning the climber was flown to Upper Beaver Meadows Road where he was then taken by Flight for Life to St. Anthony's Hospital in Estes Park for further treatment.



Jeff
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com

Two Rescues Conducted In Black Canyon of the Gunnison

According to the NPS Morning Report, Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park rangers and Black Canyon Volunteer Search and Rescue Team members responded to two separate incidents over the Fourth of July weekend.

On Thursday, July 3rd, a 35-year-old Minnesota man who was backpacking with a friend on the South Rim’s Warner Route stepped off a 16-inch rock and broke his lower leg. The pair attempted to splint the lower leg with a trekking pole and a fishing rod, but the steep, loose terrain of Black Canyon made self-rescue impossible.

Rangers and a paramedic spent the night in the canyon with the pair and the SAR team and park personnel conducted a scree evacuation the following morning. The man was transported by ambulance to Montrose Memorial Hospital later that morning.

On Saturday, July 5th, a visitor at South Rim’s Chasm View overlook reported hearing a whistle and cries for help. Rangers on the South Rim were able to spot an individual toward the bottom of the North Rim’s S.O.B. Gully.

A climbing ranger hiked down to the 28-year-old hiker, who had fallen approximately 10 feet and suffered a compound leg fracture. Rangers and a paramedic spent the night with him to provide care, while a scree evacuation was staged for first light the following morning.

Black Canyon Volunteer Search and Rescue, park personnel, Western State Colorado University Search and Rescue, and West Elk Search and Rescue used 11 main and belay line stations of approximately 130 vertical feet each to raise the man a total of 1400 vertical feet. He was then transported via Tri State Care Flight to St. Mary’s Hospital in Grand Junction.

All the inner canyon routes in Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park are infamous for loose rock, steep drop-offs and abundant poison ivy.



Jeff
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com

Details Released On Rescue Above Sky Pond In Rocky Mountain National Park

On Saturday, June 28th, Paul Lambert, 21, from Eagle River, Alaska, climbed Andrews Glacier in Rocky Mountain National Park. As he was traversing around a knife's edge between Powell Peak and Thatchtop, Lambert slipped approximately 5 feet, then tumbled and slid an additional 5 feet injuring his arm. He found himself in a location where he was cliffed out; unable to move up or down. Lambert activated a personal locator beacon (PLB) at 7:45 p.m. Lambert stayed overnight at this location above Sky Pond, at roughly 12,000 feet in elevation in a steep area with scree and loose rock. He had extra clothing and an emergency blanket in addition to other gear.

Initially, the PLB showed several possible locations. At 7:15 a.m. on Sunday, June 29, rangers were able to speak with Lambert and had him call 911 from his cell phone to enable the GPS on his phone to narrow down his location, which was on the east side of the Continental Divide above Sky Pond.

A hasty team of search and rescue members left the Glacier Gorge Trailhead early Sunday morning. One team member was flown to the top of Thatchtop. Members reached Lambert at approximately 12:15. His condition was assessed and rescue members began rigging a technical lower through a steep section. They began to descend at approximately 4:00 p.m. When they reached Sky Pond, at approximately 7:15 p.m. conditions were not conducive for helicopter operations.

Rescue team members and Lambert walked out the remaining five miles, reaching the Glacier Gorge Trailhead at 9:45 p.m. He was taken by a family member to seek further medical assistance. Over 40 personnel were involved. Rocky Mountain National Park's Search and Rescue Team members were assisted by Rocky Mountain Rescue, Larimer County Search and Rescue and Northern Colorado Helitack.



Jeff
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com

Woman Airlifted From Chasm Lake Area In Rocky Mountain National Park

At approximately 4:30 p.m. on Sunday afternoon, June 15th, Rocky Mountain National Park staff received a 911 call regarding an incident near Chasm Lake. A 56-year-old woman, hometown unknown, took a reported 65-foot tumbling, sliding fall on the snowfield between Chasm Junction and Chasm Lake.

Members of the park's Search and Rescue team reached the woman just two hours later at 6:37 p.m. She had numerous injuries. Team members conducted a technical rescue and raised her in a litter back to the snow covered trail. She was carried in a litter to Chasm Meadows and was flown by Flight For Life to a hospital in Lakewood.

No further information is available at this time.



Jeff
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com

Additional Information Released On SAR Incident On Longs Peak In Rocky Mountain National Park

At approximately 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, May 27th, Rocky Mountain National Park rangers were contacted via cell phone by Samuel Frappier, 19, from Quebec, Canada. When Frappier contacted rangers he indicated he was stuck on the Keyhole Route. Using cell phone GPS coordinates, rangers determined he was not on the Keyhole Route, but was likely on the east side of Longs Peak.

On May 27th, Frappier and his friend had intended to go to the summit of Longs Peak via the Keyhole Route but mistakenly headed to Chasm Lake instead. From Chasm Lake, they climbed into the Chasm cirque and ascended The Flying Dutchman couloir. They separated on the couloir. Frappier's friend continued to head up The Flying Dutchman and went to the top of The Beaver formation by way of The Loft where he turned around and headed back down to Chasm Lake. Frappier came down The Flying Dutchman, ascended the Camel's Gully to Mount Lady Washington, and reached the summit of Longs Peak via the north face. Frappier descended from the summit down the Kiener's Route and eventually crossed the Notch Couloir. He then found himself at an extremely precarious, narrow location at roughly 13,000 feet along Broadway Ledge with a sheer 1,000 foot drop-off below him.

At this point, Frappier called park rangers via his cell phone and indicated that he could not go up or down. His friend heard Frappier's shouts of distress and hiked out to the Longs Peak Trailhead to get help.

Although Frappier was reported as being physically fit, he had no technical climbing equipment and was not an experienced mountaineer. He was not prepared to spend the night. He was fortunate that although overnight temperatures were in the 30s, there were no significant storms on Tuesday.

Late on Tuesday night, the initial park technical rescue team arrived at the Chasm Shelter at the base of the east face of Longs Peak to stage for Wednesday morning.

On Wednesday morning, May 28, the field team, using spotting scopes, was able to determine Frappier's exact location. A Trans Aero helicopter assisted with aerial reconnaissance and prepositioning of supplies. From the helicopter, rangers were able to further assess Frappier's location and condition.

The park's Search and Rescue team requested assistance from the Teton Interagency Helicopter from Jackson, Wyoming. They reached Rocky Mountain National Park at approximately 1:15 p.m. This helicopter and crew are able to perform short-haul operations. Short-haul is the ability to transport persons suspended beneath the helicopter to or from the scene. It eliminates the need for a helicopter to land. Often time, weather and conditions hinder short-haul capabilities.

Through Wednesday, the park's Search and Rescue team staged in the Chasm Meadows area. They were hampered with a number of hazards including active ice and rock fall due to spring melting. While the sun was shining on the east side, team leaders chose not to jeopardize the lives of the rescuers to reach Frappier. Down drafts of wind impacted the operations of the short-haul helicopter and crew. During the late afternoon, the intense sun moved from the area and conditions began to stabilize. Melting conditions slowed down and the rescue teams prepared to move to reach Frappier. Unfortunately, Frappier's cell phone battery was drained and rescuers were no longer able to communicate with him.

Frappier, concerned that he would be spending a second night on the mountain, started to move on his own at approximately 4:00 p.m. He was extremely fortunate, as this was roughly the same time he had moved on the east side of Longs Peak the day before, and the snow and conditions were more stable. Frappier moved down toward rescuers who were staged at Chasm Meadows. He was given initial medical care and flown to Upper Beaver Meadows in Rocky Mountain National Park where he was taken by ambulance to the Estes Park Medical Center for further medical evaluation. He was released later than night.

Forty-six people and two helicopters were involved with this incident. The final cost is estimated to be $41,000. The National Park Service does not charge for search and rescue services.



Jeff
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com

Injured Climber Rescued During Spring Storm

The combined efforts of search and rescue teams from Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, Ouray Mountain Rescue, West Elk Mountain Rescue and Western State Mountain Rescue resulted in the successful evacuation of an injured climber from the Atlantis buttress during a spring storm this past Sunday.

Black Canyon park officials received a report of an injured climber on Saturday evening. Climbing rangers, including a park paramedic, located the climber late that evening and bivouacked overnight with him, treating his several injuries. The climber was injured when he pulled a large boulder off the wall while leading a pitch on a route called “Hotlanta” on the Atlantis buttress.

Additional technical rescue teams arrived on Sunday to help raise the climber 1,800 feet to the canyon’s North Rim. Intermittent whiteout conditions with heavy, wet snow and gusty winds challenged the rescuers during this high angle rescue.

The climber, who is from Durango, Colorado, was taken to a medical facility with ankle, chest, and facial injuries. He is in stable condition.



Jeff
Rocky Mountain Hiking Trails

Another SAR in Flattop Mountain Area of Rocky Mountain National Park

On Wednesday, January 8th, at approximately 4:30 p.m., two lost hikers contacted park rangers by cell phone. The 23-year-old male and female, from out of state, had reached the summit of Flattop Mountain (12,324 feet elevation) and became lost when hiking back down.

Rocky Mountain National Park Search and Rescue (SAR) personnel began an immediate search for the two in the Flattop Mountain and Mill Creek Basin areas. The two were located above the "Banana Bowls" at an elevation of roughly 10,600 feet at approximately 8:00 p.m. The SAR team reached the Bear Lake Trailhead with the two hikers at 9:45 p.m.

The two hikers did not have snowshoes or backcountry gear and were not prepared for the freezing temperatures or to be in the backcountry after dark. Due to "post-holing" in deep snow the man's jeans, cotton socks and leather work boots were frozen solid when searchers found them. Rescuers used a backpacking stove to thaw the man's boots so he could walk out.

This search could easily have had a tragic ending and serves as an important reminder that preparedness is critical when exploring Rocky Mountain National Park. Frostbite and hypothermia present a clear and present danger. If going into the backcountry – visitors should plan their trip well and be prepared for the possibility of bitter cold winter conditions. Becoming lost or receiving a minor injury can be life threatening if not prepared, especially in winter. Most trails are not marked for winter use, so navigation can be challenging. Visitors should not rely on cellphone service as many areas of the park have no service. It is critical to check current weather and avalanche forecasts before venturing out.

At a minimum, winter backcountry visitors should carry water/ wind proof outerwear, whistle, topographic map, compass, flashlight or headlamp, matches or other fire starter, extra high energy food and water, extra layers of clothing and insulation, emergency bivy sack, and a first aid kit. Adequate winter footwear is essential - waterproof / insulated footwear with gaiters and snowshoes are needed.

Last Thursday a man had to be rescued after becoming disoriented while snowshoeing by himself near Flattop Mountain.



Jeff
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com