PITKIN COUNTY — A man who injured himself on Maroon Peak is safe after being rescued by helicopter.
According to a release from the Pitkin County Sheriff's Office, a passerby reported that the hiker from Austin, TX, had fallen 100 feet and into a gully just before 1 p.m. Sunday. The hiker was injured severely enough that he would not be able to climb out without help.
Mountain Rescue Aspen was called in to help. A Flight for Life helicopter and a Blackhawk from the High Altitude Aviation Training Site in Eagle were used to find and evacuate the man.
He was airlifted out of the gully at around 3:30 p.m. and taken to a hospital by ambulance.
Mountain Rescue Aspen is reminding hikers to go with a partner if possible or have a personal locator beacon handy when hiking in the backcountry.