Injured Pregnant Snowmobiler Airlifted In Complicated Rescue
VAIL PASS, Colo. (CBS4) - Rescue crews coordinated a helicopter rescue for an injured pregnant snowmobiler on Vail Pass on Sunday.
The rescue was complicated because Interstate 70 was closed at the time due to multiple crashes on the road, so Summit Search and Rescue Group responders needed a police escort to the summit of the pass.
According to mission coordinators, several snowmobiles were already on scene assisting the injured woman following the crash. The decision to use an emergency evacuate on the helicopter was made.
Flight For Life launched from Frisco to respond.
"Because of some accidents, as I understand it, on the west side of Vail Pass, that closed the road around Copper. What we did is we staged at Officer's Gulch around mile marker 198 and a sheriff's officer let us through the traffic up there … it was tricky getting through all the traffic to make it to Copper," an official said.
The pregnant woman's identity or the severity of injuries was not immediately known but apparently suffered arm and leg wounds.
Matt Kroschel covers news throughout Colorado working from the CBS4 Mountain Newsroom. Send story ideas to mrkroschel@cbs.com and connect with him on Twitter @Matt_Kroschel.