Elk rescued after getting stuck in climbing rope near ice wall in southwest Colorado

Colorado Parks and Wildlife officers rescued a bull elk that decided to go ice climbing. Well, not really... but they did rescue the elk that was caught in a climbing rope.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife Officer Lucas Martin got a call after ice climbers in Lake City noticed the elk entangled in the rope near an ice wall. Martin was joined by other CPW officers to help with the rescue. 

The elk was darted so officers could safely approach the stressed animal. 

The team said they started by cutting away the rope from the elk's antlers. But then they needed a way to get the elk down from the climbing wall. The climbers who initially contacted CPW stayed on the scene to help the officers rig up the elk to belay him down to the base of the wall. 

Once the elk was off the ledge and on the ground, the team reversed the tranquilizer. After about 12 minutes, the elk was running off down the canyon.