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Man taking photos slips 40-feet down Berthoud switchback

Emergency workers from East Grand Fire Protection District assisting the man back up to the road. Courtesy of Grand County Sheriff's Office.

The urge to capture Grand County’s natural beauty comes over all of us from time to time. But if you’re going to be taking pictures, you better watch your step.

The East Grand Fire Protection District responded to a call earlier today regarding a man who slipped and slid about 40 feet down a hill near Berthoud Pass before finally gaining footing on some rocks down below. The man had no major injuries.

The 58-year-old man apparently stepped over a guardrail on the second switchback of Berthoud Pass to take a picture, near mile marker 238. He then dropped his phone and slipped down the hill, according to Adam Gosey of the East Grand Fire Protection District. He was able to gain footing and stop his decent about 40 feet down, but was unable to make the trip back up.

Emergency responders on scene used a capstan winch pull up system, wherein they lowered ropes down to the man, and used a pulling device to assist his ascent back to the road. The entire ordeal took about 30 minutes from the time East Grand personnel arrived on scene to getting him back to the road, according to Gosey.


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