3 search and rescuers injured in rockslide while trying to recover deceased hiker on Capitol Peak–
The following written content by Lindsey Grewe
PITKIN COUNTY, Colo. (KKTV) – Three members of a search and rescue crew were injured by a rockslide while trying to recover a missing hiker’s body.
The crew had been looking for Kelly McDermott, 32, who failed to return from summiting Capitol Peak on Sunday. Foul weather Monday and Tuesday hindered search efforts; Wednesday morning McDermott’s body was finally spotted 500 feet below the treacherous Knife Edge ridge.
“It appeared as though McDermott had fallen and sustained fatal injuries at some point prior to the arrival of rescuers,” the Pitkin County Sheriff’s Office said.
As four members of Mountain Rescue Aspen began climbing towards McDermott, a group of hikers was seen near Knife Edge.
The rescuers asked the pilot from the HAATS Blackhawk helicopter to try to signal to the climbers to move away from the ridge, as the recreational climbers would be directly uphill from the rescuers. The HAATS Blackhawk pilots flew to the ridge and motioned for the recreational climbers to move off the ridge, but the climbers didn’t appear to understand the request,” the sheriff’s office said.
Not long after, rocks began to fall.
“Rescuers heard someone yell ‘Rocks!’ from far above McDermott,” the sheriff’s office said. “Moments later, a massive rockfall, described as ‘an avalanche of rocks’ by one of the rescuers, came crashing down the mountain toward the four Mountain Rescue Aspen members. One rescuer was able to avoid being struck by the rocks while the other three rescuers each were struck by the flowing rockslide and sustained injuries. One rescuer received minor injuries to an extremity, while another sustained moderate injuries to the lower part of their body. The fourth rescuer sustained major injuries after being struck by a rock, which knocked the rescuer roughly 20 feet through the air in a ‘rag doll,’ or somersault motion.”
The rest of the team was able to come fourth rescuer’s aid until the helicopter dispatched to get the hikers off the ridge flew to their location and airlifted them out. Read more from KKTV 11 News.
Not new, but interesting and informative video about hiking on Capitol Peak:
