Paraglider rescued after falling 50-100 feet in northwest Boulder

Boulder County, Colo. - On Thursday, May 21, 2020 at approximately 12:00 p.m., the Boulder County Communications Center received a report via 911 of a paraglider who had crashed in the vicinity of Wonderland Lake. Wonderland Lake is a popular paragliding area in unincorporated Boulder County, northwest of the City of Boulder. There were several eye witnesses to the crash, who reported that the injured party fell from approximately 50-100 feet in the air. Witnesses said it appeared that the paraglider was making a turn when the right wing collapsed, causing him to go straight into the ground. A nurse who was in the area responded and rendered aid to the injured male until rescuers arrived.

Personnel from Boulder Mountain Fire were the first official rescuers on scene and provided medical care to the injured male. Volunteer rescuers from Rocky Mountain Rescue Group arrived and did a 75-foot litter evacuation uphill back to the top of the ridge, then a 100-foot sidehill evacuation down to a waiting ambulance. Paramedics with AMR ambulance then provided additional medical care and transported the patient to a local hospital for treatment of his injuries. The injured paraglider, a 27-year-old male from the Denver area, sustained injuries to his left arm, ribs, and had difficulty breathing. He was wearing a helmet, which likely saved his life.

Responding agencies included: AMR Ambulance, Boulder Mountain Fire Protection District, City of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks Rangers, Rocky Mountain Rescue Group, and the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office.

The associated case number for this incident is 20-2263.

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/s/ Sergeant Clay Leak