Two dozen search and rescue personnel participated in a complicated mission on Wilson Peak over the weekend after an experienced solo hiker took a big fall.

San Miguel County Search and Rescue volunteers along with the Telluride Fire Protection District responded to the report that a 30-year-old male hiker had fallen on Wilson Peak just outside of Telluride. The SOS message came in at around 11 AM on Saturday.

The call was placed by another hiker that heard a rock fall above their point on the mountain, looking up to see the soon-to-be injured party take what’s being called a “significant” fall. The second hiker was able to reach the solo hiker to provide assistance and call for help. The call prompted quick action, with rescue team members being dropped by helicopter into the remote area. They made contact with the injured party at about 1:40 PM.

Once an official search and rescue party was on scene, a technical litter was used to move the injured party across a scree field and a helicopter was used for their extraction and transport to a hospital in Grand Junction.

It was determined that the injured party was a local resident known to be very experienced at hiking and climbing in the area.

The injured hiker sustained severe head injuries, as well as other injuries resulting from the fall. Additional details about the extent of the hiker’s injuries are not known. The hiker was not identified public reports.

Thanks goes out to the multiple organizations involved in the rescue, including the San Miguel County Sheriff’s Office, various search and rescue volunteers, Telluride Fire Protection Department, Mountain Blade Runner, Careflight and a number of hikers on scene that helped with various aspects of this extensive mission.

Hiking solo on technical and dangerous terrain is never a great idea, as accidents can always happen regardless of experience. If you’re hiking on dangerous terrain, it’s a good idea to have a partner and to utilize some sort of emergency notification system, such as Garmin’s inReach device.

This accident comes weeks after an experienced climber had a fatal accident in Rocky Mountain National Park along the Glacier Gorge Traverse. In that case, the fall occurred on August 29 and the hiker was found on September 14.