Two injured backcountry skiers were rescued over the weekend from Colorado’s mountains in separate incidents, according to sheriff’s officials.
The first skier, one of a group of four skiing near Mace Peak, sent out a medical SOS at about 9:45 a.m. Saturday, according to a . Four members of Mountain Rescue Aspen were skiing in the area and arrived on scene as the injured person was sending out the SOS, sheriff’s officials said.
The Mountain Rescue Aspen crew moved the injured skier on an emergency sled to a Flight for Life landing zone, where a helicopter picked up the skier and flew to a hospital, according to the sheriff’s office.
Information about the extent of the skier’s injuries was not immediately available Sunday.
Another skier was rescued Sunday after sustaining a knee injury in the Lindley Hut area, . Lindley Hut sits south of Ashcroft near Star Peak, .
Three Mountain Rescue Aspen members who were skiing in the area evacuated the injured skier from the mountain on an emergency sled, sheriff’s officials said. A total of 16 search and rescue members helped coordinate equipment, communication and evacuation.
The skier first sent a medical SOS at 11:46 a.m., and all crews were out of the field by 3 p.m., according to the sheriff’s office.
“Mountain Rescue Aspen and the Pitkin County Sheriff’s Office would like to remind backcountry skiers to always be prepared and carry a satellite communication device for emergencies,” the release stated. “This spring season, hazards exist close to the surface and we encourage backcountry travelers to be cautious.”
