Hiker in duress evacuated from mountainous terrain near Aspen

A hiker suffering from an injured knee and an illness caused by dehydration and preexisting medical conditions was successfully evacuated from the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness on Monday afternoon, according to a Pitkin County Sheriff’s Office news release.

The hiker, part of a family of six, was on Conundrum Trail when the family requested emergency services and assistance to get back to the trailhead around 12:45 p.m. The Conundrum Trailhead is five miles south of Aspen and up the Castle Creek Valley.

The Pitkin County Sheriff’s Office notified Mountain Rescue Aspen, while a sheriff’s deputy responded to the trailhead and began hiking toward the family in need around 1:46 p.m. The responding deputy made patient contact shortly after 2:30 p.m. Mountain Rescue Aspen arrived near 3 p.m.

After assessing and securing the patient in a rescue litter, rescue teams began their descent off the trail, the release states.

“During the descent the patient became ill due to dehydration and pre-existing medical conditions. Additional MRA team members were deployed into the field to stabilize the patient,” the release states. “Aspen Ambulance District was paged out to the trailhead approximately (4:18 p.m.). Aspen Ambulance District made contact with the patient at approximately (4:54 p.m.) and transported to Aspen Valley Hospital.”

“All members were out of the field at approximately (5:30 p.m.).”

The Pitkin County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank Aspen Ambulance District and all 23 members of Mountain Rescue Aspen for their assistance on this rescue. Mountain Rescue Aspen would like to encourage backcountry visitors to carry an emergency communication device and be adequately prepared for weather conditions, the release states.