Summit County Rescue Group rescues climber who fell 30 feet near Montezuma

An injured climber was transported to a Front Range hospital via Flight for Life on Sunday, September 19, after suffering a serious fall into a cliff near Montezuma.

At around 11 a.m., the rescue group was dispatched to a climbing area between Keystone and Montezuma known as Haus Rock, located a short drive from Montezuma Road after a withdrawal, according to Anna DeBattiste, manager. of the Summit County Rescue Group Public Information.

The man was climbing a wall alone when he fell about 30 feet to the ground. A group of nearby climbers who witnessed the incident called 911, and around 15 rescuers intervened shortly after to provide emergency assistance.

DeBattiste said the cause of the man’s fall was unclear. She also said she couldn’t speak directly to the seriousness of the man’s condition, but said he was aware when rescue workers arrived and the serious circumstances surrounding his injuries called for a heavy-handed response.

“Her rope was still hanging there, and it was straight vertical,” DeBattiste said. “… The main reason we asked Flight for Life was the injury mechanism. A straight, vertical fall of 9 meters can have serious consequences. ”

Rescue workers quickly found him at the bottom of the cliff, so the mission did not require any kind of technical diving rescue. Instead, the rescue group, with the help of medical staff from Summit Fire & EMS, carried out a “scree evacuation,” which DeBattiste described as a low-angle evacuation where the group set up anchors. rope on the steeper parts of the trail to help lower him onto a litter box.

In total, the mission lasted about two hours. The climber was taken by ambulance to Keystone Medical Center where Flight for Life arrived to take him to a Denver-area hospital.

“It is fortunate that there were passers-by who witnessed the fall, otherwise one wonders how long it would have taken for us to be called,” DeBattiste said.

The call was just the last of another busy summer for the rescue group. The volunteer team is set to break their previous record for call volume again, which is becoming an annual trend as more people frequent the Summit County backcountry. After an active 2018 during which the group received 123 service calls, the team saw call volumes increase to reach record figures in 2019 (141) and 2020 (185). To date this year, the group has received 184 calls.

“The number of calls becomes a burden on the coordinators,” DeBattiste said. “They juggle multiple calls at once – 8, 9, 10, 11 calls in a week. … We will obviously set a new record for the third year in a row.

And the year is far from over. Summer officially ends with the onset of the fall equinox on Wednesday, September 22, although the eye-catching leaves dotting the county landscape and snow dust on Sunday night argue that it ended there. at some time. But as the weather continues to cool, DeBattiste said outdoor enthusiasts need to take extra care in planning their adventures and making sure they aren’t left behind in the cold.

“Don’t let your summer routines carry you into the fall without some extra preparation on the hiking trails,” DeBattiste said. “… It’s beautiful hiking season right now, and people are still going out and doing all the summer activities. Remember, the 10 essentials are even more important to pack right now because of the temperatures. If you get caught later than planned, you’ll need those warm layers (and) you’ll need the extra calories.

DeBattiste also said it’s time for cross-country skiers and snowboarders to start brushing up their avalanche safety skills.

“Winter is coming,” she said. “It’s time to start thinking about avalanche awareness and what you’re going to do to prepare for this winter. Perfect your avalanche rescue skills, take another course. … It’s good to start early because we know that last year everything was booked very early.