A firefighter with the Eagle River Fire Protection District was rescued on July 1 after a 400-pound boulder became dislodged and crushed and pinned their leg while they were climbing North Apostle Mountain, a 13er in the Sawatch Range.

According to the Eagle River Fire Protection District, the firefighter was able to use “incredible determination” and “primal adrenaline” to get free. They then made an emergency call for help.

The remote location, steep terrain and high elevation would have made a traditional ground rescue “extremely difficult,” so a High Altitude Army Aviation Training Site (HAATS) Black Hawk helicopter was deployed from Gypsum. The crew picked up two technical rescuers with Mountain Rescue Aspen’s hoist team.

The firefighter was able to stay in contact with a member of Vail Mountain Rescue through the iPhone satellite texting feature. The rescuer conveyed critical information including location, injuries and terrain conditions to the helicopter. Chaffee County Search and Rescue also mobilized ground resources for the chance that weather or terrain stopped the helicopter from reaching the scene.

The helicopter arrived at the scene at about 5:25 p.m., and the MRA technicians were inserted on a 300-foot hoist line. They were able to splint the firefighter’s broken leg, package them and hoist them into the helicopter to be transported down the mountain.

“Our firefighter is recovering and is incredibly grateful for the skill, professionalism, and compassion shown by everyone involved,” reads the post from the Eagle River Fire Protection District. “Incidents like this are a powerful reminder that even those who dedicate their lives to helping others sometimes need help themselves.”

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