32-year-old skier plunges 2,000 feet down mountain near Telluride, Colorado rescuers say

A 32-year-old skier fell 2,000 feet on Mount Wilson near Telluride, Colorado officials reported.

A helicopter airlifted the injured Colorado Springs man to safety following the plunge Saturday, May 6, the San Miguel County Sheriff’s Office reported in a series of Twitter posts.

The helicopter dropped off a search crew which prepared the injured skier for an airlift, the posts said.

“The man suffered traumatic injuries but was conscious and alert,” the sheriff’s office said. The helicopter took him to an airport, where a medical helicopter flew him to a hospital.

Three sheriff’s deputies and nine search and rescue members took part in the three-hour rescue, the office said.

At 14,2452 feet, Mount Wilson is the highest peak in the San Miguel Mountains.

Telluride is a city of 2,600 people about 330 miles southwest of Denver.

This story was originally published May 7, 2023 at 2:13 PM with the headline "32-year-old skier plunges 2,000 feet down mountain near Telluride, Colorado rescuers say."