Speed Flier Rescued From Summit County Mountain As Rescue Calls Continue To Climb
SUMMIT COUNTY, Colo. (CBS4) - The Summit County Rescue Group rescued a woman from the top of Peak 6 at Breckenridge Ski Resort on Saturday morning. Rescuers say the woman and two men were speed flying in the area.
Officials say the group hiked up the trail from Copper Mountain Resort and the men flew down the Copper side. The woman crashed while trying a barrel role.
Another group of paragliders saw the woman crash and rushed to help her. She suffered serious but non life-threatening injuries.
"Speed flying is a sport similar to paragliding, using a smaller wing which is designed for descent rather than ascent," SCRG stated.
A Flight for Life crew, with the help of passing hikers which included two emergency room doctors, helped evacuate the woman to a landing zones less than a mile from the crash.
She was airlifted to St. Anthony's Medical Center in Denver.
SCRG says this is their 85th call for 2021, up from 54 this time in 2020. They note 2020 was their busiest year ever.
"Increased crowds in the backcountry means increased call volume. We ask all backcountry
recreationists to be prepared, know before you go, and carry the ten essentials including extra
clothing, food and water, navigation tools, shelter, sun protection, a whistle, a light source, materials to build a fire, a first aid kit, and a repair kit for gear and equipment if applicable," SCRG stated.
They say the speed fliers were well-prepared and had medical kits and radios with them.
RELATED: Rescue Groups In Colorado Seeing A Concerning Number Of Emergency Calls In 2021