Authorities Warn Of Winter Hiking Dangers After Man's 30 Foot Fall In Colorado National Monument
(CBS4) - Officials in western Colorado are sending out a warning this week after a 41-year-old hiker was injured in a 30 foot fall in Colorado National Monument. The hiker had to be rescued from the area known as No Thoroughfare Canyon on Monday.
The man left on the hike with a friend from the upper trailhead. They got past the second waterfall and were in a rugged area when the man fell. His hiking partner tried to call for help on his phone but they couldn't get any service at that location. The partner had to hike for about 20 minutes to get enough of a signal to make the emergency call.
It took rescue crews about 3 hours to get the injured man to a helicopter, which took him to the hospital at nightfall.
"While sunny days have melted off some of the snow from the last storm, many of the trails in Colorado National Monument are in shaded canyons with ice and snow on them," a spokesperson for the National Park Service said in a prepared statement. "As was true in this situation, monument staff recommend hiking with a companion if possible. If you choose to hike alone, be sure someone knows your planned hike and you have an agreed-on plan to check in when you return. Cellphone service throughout the park and especially in the canyons is unreliable."
