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Two emergency rescues in Rocky Mountain National Park

Sky-Hi News Staff
Courtesy of National Park Service
Staff Photo |

Two recent emergency rescues were conducted in Rocky Mountain National Park near Forest Canyon and Emerald Lake, respectively.

On Sunday, July 19, at 7:30 p.m. park rangers were notified via cell phone that a 13-year-old female from Estes Park had suffered a leg injury roughly a half-mile northwest of The Pool in rugged Forest Canyon in Rocky Mountain National Park.

Her father had climbed to higher ground and was fortunate to get cell phone coverage. Due to the fact that the patient is a juvenile her name and her father’s name will not be released.



Rocky Mountain National Park Search and Rescue Team members reached her and her father between 1:30 and 2 a.m. on July 20. It was difficult to find the patient in steep, rugged, off trail terrain. The general area had also been impacted by the Fern Lake Fire, which posed additional challenges for rescuers to traverse through this area after dark.

A technical raise was used to bring the patient roughly 150 to 200 feet up and over a rock cliff to a flat bench area where a landing zone had been constructed. The patient was flown from the area to the Upper Beaver Meadows helispot at 4:30 p.m. Monday, July 20. She was taken by ambulance to Estes Park Medical Center.



The Northern Colorado Interagency Helitack Crew assisted Park search and rescue team members, and this helicopter crew assisted with the reconnaissance and extraction of the patient from the area. Over 30 park personnel were involved in this incident as well as one member of the Alpine Rescue Group.

As park rescue personnel were finishing the Forest Canyon rescue they were notified at 5:15 p.m. by cell phone of a 43-year-old woman, hometown unknown, with a leg injury near Emerald Lake. Park search and rescue personnel reached her at 7:45 p.m. July 20. A team carried her out on a wheeled litter. They were expected to reach the Bear Lake Trailhead by 10 p.m. She will be taken by ambulance to Estes Park Medical Center. Twenty park personnel are involved in this incident.


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