Grand County Search and Rescue assisted with a complex rescue mission on Monday, Sept. 8, along on the Continental Divide, after a snowboarder fell and broke his ankle on Skyscraper Glacier. The glacier is a popular summer skiing snowfield in the Indian Peaks Wilderness near Rollins Pass, between Boulder and Grand counties.

According to a Facebook post by Grand County Search and Rescue, a large team of about 20 of their members responded after receiving a page at 3:43 p.m. They arrived at 12,000 feet for the mutual aid assist with Boulder’s Rocky Mountain Rescue Group.

The victim, a 27-year-old man, had fallen into a narrow rock fissure and was becoming hypothermic.

Prior to the arrival of the Grand County team, Rocky Mountain Rescue Group had airlifted two of their members to the site, according to the Facebook post. Weather prevented additional helicopter insertions for the Grand County members for some time, but they eventually made it, too. The rescue group was eventually able to insert two more members, as well.

Once first responders reached the snowboarder, they placed him into a Sked rescue stretcher and started the 150-feet uphaul to the top of the snowfield. This mission was accomplished at a 40–50-degree slope.

At this time, GCSAR members responded to a staging area on the Corona Road. Twelve members drove up to Rollins Pass with ATVs and trucks. Two Grand County Sheriff deputies with a drone and two Grand County EMS medics also arrived to assist at Rollins Pass.

Meanwhile, a 10-person field crew hauled ropes, litter, technical rock gear and medical gear two miles over rough, mountainous terrain to the Skyscraper glacier. They arrived as it was growing dark at 7:30 p.m.

At this point, rescuers came up with three possibilities for a rescue plan. Plan A: move the victim to a landing zone for pickup by MedEvac helicopter. Plan B: the Colorado Hoist Rescue Team would activate to transport the victim by air. Plan C: move the victim via a two-mile litter carry to Rollins Pass.

Rescuers decided to go with Plan A as the safest, most effective option — bring the victim to the area for pickup via helicopter.  

Once first responders got the victim above the snowfield, GCSAR members helped move him past the steep rocks to a flat area on the top of the ridge by using an anchor system.

Next, a MedEvac helicopter pilot utilizing night vision goggles, arrived at the ridge just as rescuers got the victim to the top. The victim was then transferred for a flight to a Denver hospital.

After executing the airlift, first responders hiked back to Rollins Pass under the light of a nearly full moon. Arriving at the pass, Rocky Mountain Rescue Group UTV teams transported their rescuers back down. The Grand County rescuers were out of the field by 12:30 a.m., about nine hours from the moment they first got the page to help the snowboarder.

“Mountain travelers should be aware that remaining alpine snow in September is often firmly consolidated and even low angle snow is potentially hazardous,” Rocky Mountain Rescue Group stated on Facebook. “Stay safe in the backcountry and thank you to all the volunteers and partner agencies who make these rescues possible.”

GCSAR thanked the rescue group, as well as other partners: Boulder County Sheriff, Grand County Sheriff, Grand County EMS, MedEvac, Colorado Search and Rescue Association and the Colorado Hoist Rescue Team.

“This mission demonstrates comprehensive collaboration between Boulder and Grand first responders to complete a dangerous and difficult rescue,” said Grand Country Search and Rescue.

Grand County Search and Rescue is an all-volunteer nonprofit. The agency never charges for rescue services. To find out how you can support the organization to help volunteers provide 24/7 emergency backcountry care in Grand County, visit GrandCountySAR.com.

The video of the rescue below is courtesy of the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office, and includes drone footage courtesy of the Grand County Sheriff’s Office.