Search continues for missing woman

BEAVER CREEK, Colo. ” Rescuers continued to search Saturday morning for a 56-year-old woman who has been missing since she fell off a horse and into Beaver Creek Friday evening.

Two search-and-rescue dogs, two water-rescue teams and a team on horseback are searching for the Nebraska woman, whose named has not been released, the Eagle County Sheriff’s Office said.

The woman was riding the horse to dinner at Beano’s Cabin with her family when the horse lost its footing at about 6:10 p.m., said Shannon Cordingly, Eagle County Sheriff’s spokeswoman.

Rescuers called off the search around 10:40 p.m.

Officials initially reported that the horse was euthanized, but later said they recovered the horse farther downstream and it had only minor injuries.

The Eagle County Sheriff’s Office, Vail Mountain Rescue, Beaver Creek Mountain crews, Greater Eagle River Fire, Eastern Eagle County Ambulance and the Salvation Army are working together on the rescue operation.

Officials haven’t revealed where the woman fell into the creek, which is narrow and shallow in spots.

“Even 6 inches of water is enough for someone to drown in,” Cordingly said. “This is still a rescue.”

The horses have been doing tours to the restaurant since June 7 and there weren’t any unusual or unsafe conditions Friday, but the Eagle County Sheriff’s Office is investigating, Cordingly said. Beano’s Cabin is an upscale restaurant on Beaver Creek Mountain that is only accessible by horseback, sleighs, tractor-pulled wagons or shuttles.

Lauren Glendenning contributed to this report.