NEWS: Helicopter Rescue on North Maroon Peak (9/23/13)

A helicopter rescues an injured climber on North Maroon
Peak. Screenshot from Youtube video

A 59-year-old man had to be rescued by helicopter after falling while descending North Maroon Peak on Saturday. According to a report on the Aspen Business Journal, the man fell 50 feet and suffered numerous injuries, including a possibly broken jaw. The helicopter rescue was successful and caught on video. The injured climber was with four other people when the accident occurred.

2013 has been a difficult year in the Elk Range. There have been several accidents and harrowing rescues this season, including the deaths of Steve Gladbach on "Thunder Pyramid" and Ryan Palmer on Capitol Peak, and the rescue of Daniel Palmer (no relation) also on Capitol Peak.

Check out this video caught by another climber of the successful rescue:



Visit THE ARCHIVE: A list of most of our articles sorted by department

Copyright notice: This website and all its contents are the intellectual property of www.coloradomountaineering.com and its authors. None of the content can be used or reproduced without the approval of www.coloradomountaineering.com.
Climbing and mountaineering are dangerous!! Please see the DISCLAIMER page For information about how to contact us, visit this link

NEWS: UPDATED: Climbers Stranded on Longs Peak (9/13/13)

Mt. Meeker, Longs Peak and the Loft where two
mountain climbers became stranded yesterday morning.
A rescue attempt was planned for today

In the middle all of the chaos of the Front Range floods, two women have become stranded and are in need of rescue on Longs Peak. According to the page started on tumblr.com by the sister of one of the climbers, Connie Yang and Suzanne Turell became stuck on Longs Peak in a "Whiteout snow storm" yesterday. The sister received a series of text messages from the pair stating that they were stranded at 13,400 feet because everything on the mountain had become iced over. According to the text messages they are on the "South Ridge...South East of Peak...Near the Notch". The women have a tent and are not injured but wrote that they are at risk for hypothermia. Reports have stated that rangers are going to attempt a rescue but it has been difficult to get anyone to the trailhead due to numerous road closures. Bad weather and low visibility have also made it impossible to fly a rescue helicopter.

The stranded women have come at a bad time for authorities in the area who are dealing with record rainfall and horrific flooding. The cities of Boulder, Lyons, Fort Collins, and others have been pounded by incessant rainfall the past few days, leading to record flooding and widespread destruction. The entire town of Lyons has been evacuated as of this morning with the National Guard coming in to help get everyone out of the stranded town.

UPDATED: 9News is reporting that rescue teams were able to get the two women safely off the mountain. We are highly relieved to hear this story has a happy ending and our thoughts are still with those affected by this large-scale weather disaster.

A video showing some of the record flooding in Big Thompson Canyon, which right now (9/13/13) is even higher than during the historic 1976 flood that killed 143 people:



Visit THE ARCHIVE: A list of most of our articles sorted by department

Copyright notice: This website and all its contents are the intellectual property of www.coloradomountaineering.com and its authors. None of the content can be used or reproduced without the approval of www.coloradomountaineering.com.
Climbing and mountaineering are dangerous!! Please see the DISCLAIMER page For information about how to contact us, visit this link

NEWS: UPDATED: Dramatic Blackhawk Rescue on Capitol Peak (9/1/13)

The Knife Edge of Capitol Peak

A Fort Collins man had to be rescued off Capitol Peak in Colorado's Elk Range after becoming stranded not far below the summit. According to a report on Aspentimes.com, Daniel Palmer, of Fort Collins, was trapped on the peak and had to be rescued by team from Mountain Rescue Aspen as well as a Blackhawk Helicopter. Reportedly, Palmer suffered only minor injuries in the incident.

At 14,130 feet Capitol is the 29th tallest mountain in Colorado. It is considered one of the most difficult and exposed of all Colorado's 14er, largely due to the "Knife Edge," an exposed fin that mountaineers must traverse. Capitol Peak was the scene of a fatal accident earlier this year when Ryan Palmer (no relation) decided to downclimb the north face of the mountain instead of returning over the Knife Edge and fell to his death.

UPDATED: According to an interview in the Aspen Times, Daniel Palmer claims to have gotten turned around on the descent and mistakenly descended to a point on the north face where he was unable to descend and unable to go back up. He was able to call authorities from a cell phone he was carrying.

Check out this video of the Knife Edge from a 2011 trip to Capitol:



Visit THE ARCHIVE: A list of most of our articles sorted by department

Copyright notice: This website and all its contents are the intellectual property of www.coloradomountaineering.com and its authors. None of the content can be used or reproduced without the approval of www.coloradomountaineering.com.
Climbing and mountaineering are dangerous!! Please see the DISCLAIMER page For information about how to contact us, visit this link