Date: August 30, 2017
On Friday morning, August 25, park rangers were notified by a ranger on a backcountry patrol that a 54 year old male hiker (hometown unknown) had suffered a leg injury above Black Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park. Additional rangers were sent to assist. Team members, in addition to five bystanders, helped move the man to a nearby alpine meadow where the man was flown at 3:45 p.m. by St. Anthony Flight for Life to Boulder Community Hospital.
On Saturday, August 26, rangers were notified of a deceased man a few yards from the Harbison Picnic Area on the west side of the park. The man has been identified as Michael McQuay, 71, of Estes Park, Colorado, and Laurel, Maryland. The investigation is ongoing, however the death is believed to be from natural causes.
On Sunday, August 27, rangers responded to a 22 year old male from Denver, Colorado, who fell approximately 15 feet below the viewing area at Adams Falls. The man suffered numerous serious injuries. Bystanders in the area assisted the man and notified park rangers at 5:45 p.m.
A number of agencies assisted Rocky Mountain National Park Search and Rescue Team members with this extensive rescue effort including Grand County Search and Rescue, Grand County Sheriff’s Department, Grand Lake Fire and Grand County Mountain Medic Response Team.
The man was evacuated via a wheeled litter. Teams reached the East Inlet Trailhead at 8:20 p.m. where he was flown by Northern Colorado Med Evac to Denver Medical Health Center.
On Monday, August 28, park rangers were notified around 5 p.m. regarding a 62 year old female from Mineral Point, Wisconsin, who fell from a horse near Granite Falls. She was roughly 6 miles from the Green Mountain Trailhead. Rocky Mountain Search and Rescue Team members reached the group of horseback riders at approximately 8:30 p.m. Grand County Mountain Medic Response Team also assisted on this incident. Due to the time of day and nature of injury, Search and Rescue Team members stayed with the group, including their horses, overnight. The woman was flown from a nearby meadow the next morning, Tuesday, August 29, by Northern Colorado Med Evac to Medical Center of the Rockies. Search and Rescue Team members reached the trailhead yesterday at 1:00 p.m.
