Rescue efforts take over 5 hours

Boulder County, Colo - On Saturday, July 18^th, 2020, at approximately 2:04 p.m., the Boulder County Communications Center was notified of a hiker who had fallen approximately 300 feet down a scree slope in the area of the Needles Eye Tunnel on Rollins Pass Road.

The 57-year-old female from Broomfield was hiking alone when she fell approximately 300 feet down a steep rocky slope, sustaining serious injuries. A nurse who was hiking in the area provided first aid to the injured party prior to rescuers arrival. When members from Timberline Fire Department and Gilpin Ambulance arrived on scene, they assumed medical care for the injured party. Search and rescue teams were sent in from the ground, as well as from the air, using Flight for Life Colorado. The injured party was packaged in a litter and a technical evacuation was performed by Rocky Mountain Rescue Group approximately 500’ down the hillside to the helicopter. The patient was flown by Flight for Life to a Denver area hospital.

Agencies assisting with this rescue effort included: Boulder County Sheriff’s Office, Boulder County Emergency Services, Gilpin Ambulance, Timberline Fire Department, Grand County Search and Rescue, Flight for Life Colorado and the Rocky Mountain Rescue Group.

The associated Boulder County Sheriff's Office case number is: #20-3175.

###

/s/ Ryan Singer, Boulder County Sheriff’s Office, Emergency Services Unit