Horsetooth Rock Rescue

Photo courtesy of Poudre Fire Authority

At 14:36 on July 7th, 2015 Poudre Fire Authority was called to a reported female hiker that had fell approximately 20 feet and fractured her leg on Horsetooth Rock located in Horsetooth Mountain Open Space. Rain and mud from the parking area to the rescue site complicated an already challenging rescue. A volunteer firefighter with PFA reached the hiker first and was quickly evaluated and treated for her injuries. As this was occurring more rescuers continued to arrive and prepare for the trek up the mountain and pending technical rescue. The operation took a large amount of coordination and communication with assisting agencies along with at least three rope systems to remove the hiker from the rock. Crews then moved her down the trail more than 1/3 of a mile over very uneven terrain in order to load her into a pickup truck for transport to the parking area. Once at the parking area she was then transported to a local hospital.  The operation took forty-five rescuers and four hours to complete. Additional information provided by Poudre Fire Authority

Assisting agencies: Larimer County Sheriff, Larimer County Parks, Larimer County Search & Rescue, Fort Collins-911, Poudre Valley Hospital Emergency Services and Special Operations Response Team.

Photo courtesy of Poudre Fire Authority

Photo courtesy of Poudre Fire Authority

Photo courtesy of Poudre Fire Authority