A hiker suffered a serious fall at Greyrock Mountain in Fort Collins, Colorado, tumbling more than 50 feet onto a ledge approximately 200 feet up the rock face. The incident was reported at 5:30pm. Larimer County Search and Rescue responded quickly but the operation stretched deep into the night before the injured woman was brought safely to the trailhead.
With the sun down and the terrain technical, two SAR members climbed in darkness to reach the hiker on the exposed ledge. They assessed and treated her injuries on the face of the rock before rigging a system to lower her through the most difficult section of the descent.
“She fought through pain and nausea and still managed to hike out. Huge credit to her grit and to the teamwork that made this possible.” – Larimer County Search and Rescue
Larimer County SAR credited both the woman’s determination and the coordinated teamwork of its members for the outcome. The last rescuers made it home at 4 a.m.
Greyrock, located in the Roosevelt National Forest west of Fort Collins, is one of the most popular hikes on the Front Range and draws thousands of visitors each year. The upper rock face presents serious hazards for hikers who venture off established routes.
