Steamboat Springs, CO – After the sheep was spotted last week huddled next to a rock in a difficult to access area , a plan was put in place by resort officials to create a rescue route by laying down a snowmobile/snowcat track out to the stranded animal. A group of skiers couldn’t wait that long and decided to preempt the official rescue attempt by setting out on their own to save the desperate animal.  

“As you can imagine there is a ton of snow out there and the group worked really hard to make its way to the little guy,” said Steamboat Springs spokesman Mike Lane to Steamboat Today.

After the sheep was rescued by the skiers it was loaded onto a toboggan, taken down the mountain and brought into Steamboat Veterinary Hospital but despite everyone’s best efforts the little guy died overnight because it was just too weak and malnourished.

Sad ending to the story but heartening to know Steamboat has the kind of good people that would attempt this kind of thing. “Although not the ending we had wanted, it shows the true spirit of Steamboat with so many individuals and organizations working together towards this effort to make a difference,” Lane said.