Rescuers on memorial hike respond to fatal mountain accident
Two members of Alpine Rescue Team were hiking with the son of a man who died four years ago when the call for fallen hiker came across their radios Saturday.
The two rescuers abandoned their hike to the summit of Torreys Peak, turned around, and retraced their steps to nearby Grizzly D to assist.
Update: Our sincere condolences to the family, friends, and all touched by today's tragic accident. The Coroner's Office...
Posted by Clear Creek County Sheriff's Office on Saturday, July 15, 2023
Other rescuers reached the injured hiker first, but the young male unfortunately had passed away.
The fallen hiker was struck by a large boulder which broke loose on Grizzly D's steep northeastern ridge, ART's Dawn Wilson said. The exact circumstances of the accident were not released, but Wilson said the hillside is comprised of small, loose rock on the trail and boulders between the size of basketballs and dishwashers.
Immediately after the accident, the young man's hiking companion retreated to the Loveland Pass trailhead and called 9-1-1.
First responders staged at Loveland Pass and the Bakerville exit of Interstate 70, the overpass of which was closed intermittently as a Frisco-based Flight For Life medical helicopter ferried a dozen rescuers to the scene, Wilson said.
The young man's body was recovered and handed over to the Clear Creek County Coroner's Office. The operation concluded around 2:30 p.m.
Wilson added that rescue crews were slightly delayed in locating the victim by the fact he was wearing gray clothing in a rock field. She suggested people recreating outdoors wear bright colored clothing for that reason.
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Wilson was participating in the memorial hike at the time of the emergency. The memorial hike was in honor of a Don Chambliss, a 71-year-old died while hiking Torreys Peak in 2019. That man's son is now a great supporter of ART and other search and rescue agencies, Wilson said.
Asked how it felt to respond to a fatal accident while hiking with the family member from an earlier one, Wilson said, "It was a kick in the face."
There are five peaks in Colorado named 'Grizzly.' The are made distinct from one another by the letters A through E added to their name.