Distressed hiker rescued from Capital Creek Trail near Aspen
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A distressed hiker reported to have a broken ankle was rescued from Capitol Creek Trail in the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness Area on Monday afternoon, according to a Pitkin County alert.
The Pitkin County Regional Emergency Communications received the distress call around 4:12 p.m. Monday. This trail forms part of the challenging 16-mile Northeast Ridge route on Capitol Peak, beginning at an elevation of 9,450 feet and reaching a summit of 14,138 feet.
Around 4:35 p.m., Mountain Rescue Aspen established direct communication with the hiker, a 44-year-old Longmont resident, through a satellite communications device called InReach.
A CareFlight helicopter touched down near the Capitol Creek Trail at about 5:20 p.m., with the flight crew quickly locating and stabilizing the injured climber, according to the alert. The climber was soon taken to Aspen Valley Hospital to be treated for non-life-threatening injuries.
“The Pitkin County Sheriff’s Office and Mountain Rescue Aspen would like to thank CareFlight of the Rockies for their assistance and rapid response to this rescue,” the release states.
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