A 29-year-old skier was rescued and airlifted to a hospital after tumbling approximately 1,000 feet down Skywalker Couloir on South Arapaho Peak near Nederland, Colorado, on Saturday, June 14th.
According to a Boulder County Sheriff’s Office press release emergency crews were dispatched around 10:30am after multiple 911 calls reported a seriously injured skier. Spotty cell reception in the remote area of the accident made communication difficult and initially led responders to believe there might be two separate incidents. A reporting party hiked to the top of the peak where she obtained a stronger cell signal and provided an accurate location to rescue teams.Â
The skier had fallen during the initial stages of his descent and landed in a scree field. Rescue crews from Nederland Fire Protection District and Rocky Mountain Rescue Group responded quickly. MedEvac landed a helicopter within 50 feet of the injured skier and flew him to a local hospital for further care.
The Boulder County Sheriff’s Office wants to use this incident emphasize the importance of not relying solely on cellphones when traveling in remote areas:
“This incident highlights the limitations of cell service in remote areas and underscores the importance of carrying a Personal Locator Beacon when engaging in backcountry recreation.”
