Climber rescued near Mt. Bancroft, airlifted to local hospital
This article first appeared on KDVR
CLEAR CREEK/GRAND COUNTIES, Colo. (KDVR) — A female climber was rescued near Mt. Bancroft on Sunday afternoon, the Alpine Rescue Team said.
The public information officer said a call for an injured climber on the ridge of Mt. Bancroft came in at 8:30 a.m. and a team was sent to help. A Flight for Life helicopter was launched, and the Colorado National Guard assisted in the all-day rescue.
The climber was taken St. Anthony’s via Flight for Life helicopter for a severely fractured lower leg.
“It’s quite a feat to get up there and get back down with all the loose rocks you have to deal with,” said Dawn Wilson with Alpine Rescue Team. “The National Guard is essential for search and rescue operations. They are really needed when someone is in a tight spot or a life-threatening situation.”
The rescue mission took almost 10 hours. Twenty-two volunteers were on the mountain helping with the rescue. Wilson tells FOX31 she’s noticed an increase in holiday rescues in the past year.
“The last few years of holidays, Alpine Rescue Team has not had a lot of missions but over the last 18 months, we have found we have been out on Christmas, Easter, and now Labor Day weekend,” said Wilson.
“My assumption why we get more on the holidays is because with everyone outdoors, those that are experienced are trying to find places others are not but cannot successfully climb and hike there.”
Notes from Truewerk:
We were stoked to meet a few members of the Alpine Rescue Team a few years ago and outfit them with some Truewerk. A badass crew, and always inspiring to see people in our community serving those in need.
