Injured climber rescued from Ellingwood Point in Southern Colorado

DENVER ( KDVR ) — Alamosa Volunteer Search and Rescue successfully rescued an injured climber who had fallen while descending from Ellingwood Point on Friday.

The volunteer search and rescue team said the hiker called for help because he was off-route and knew he couldn’t continue due to his injury and the terrain. Alamosa Volunteer Search and Rescue began the process of deploying teams, but severe afternoon storms were covering Blanca Peak, causing a delay in a helicopter insertion.

Teams began to head into the backcountry with the search and rescue’s specialty 4×4 team up Lake Como Road, before heading out on foot to reach the climber.

Crews were within 300 vertical feet of the hiker, but the rescue workers deemed the conditions unsafe to climb as darkness began approaching. The search and rescue teams stayed the night in the field near the climber’s location, waiting for first light.

The teams planned to continue the hiker’s extrication in the morning. Unfortunately, the hiker was not prepared for overnight conditions and had exhausted his food and water supplies, according to Alamosa Volunteer Search and Rescue.

The search and rescue team began the process of requesting the Colorado National Guard, who would hoist the climber off the mountain. At about 6 a.m., the Colorado National Guard hoisted the climber out and brought him to the Lake Como helipad for a flight transfer.

The climber was then taken to get medical care.

Alamosa Volunteer Search and Rescue said the hiker was released from the hospital within the same day and is on the path to recovery.

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