The rescued party was a 27-year-old Boulder man previously reported missing

Boulder, Colo. - At 7:45 a.m., the sheriff's communications center received a 911 call from a hiker near the Flatirons who reported hearing a male voice yelling for help. The caller believed the party yelling for help might be on the Royal Arch Trail, possibly between "Stairway to Heaven" and "Regency." Approximately 10 minutes later, a second 911 call was received from the Mesa Trail near NCAR. That caller also reported hearing a male voice yelling for help.

The injured party, a 27-year-old Boulder man, was eventually located by rescue personnel on the Mesa Trail at Woods Quarry. He was found clad only in shorts and it is believed he was likely outdoors overnight, as he told rescuers he believed he may have left his shoes and shirt somewhere near the 2nd Flatiron. Rescuers found it difficult to communicate with the man on-scene, as he was hard-of-hearing, did not know sign language, and would not answer many of the questions he was asked. Once rescuers learned the man's name, they determined he had been reported as missing to the Boulder Police Department last night.

The injured man was dehydrated and had suffered numerous scrapes and abrasions all over his body, which suggested he likely fell several times as he descended the trail and likely wandered through several briar-patches. A rescue member donated a pair of flip-flop sandals to the man, and he walked out to an awaiting ambulance, assisted by rescuers. The man was transported to a local hospital for evaluation and treatment of his injuries. The entire rescue operation took just over two hours.

While deputies are still investigating the circumstances surrounding the injuries the man suffered and why he was likely outdoors on the trail overnight, no evidence has surfaced to suggest foul play.

Agencies assisting sheriff's deputies and emergency services personnel in the rescue include rangers from Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks, the Rocky Mountain Rescue Group, and American Medical Response (AMR).

The case number associated with this rescue is 20-1959.

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/s/ Division Chief Mike Wagner
Public Information Officer