{"id":15403,"date":"2026-07-07T20:39:27","date_gmt":"2026-07-07T20:39:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/?p=15403"},"modified":"2026-07-07T20:39:27","modified_gmt":"2026-07-07T20:39:27","slug":"firefighter-pinned-by-400-pound-boulder-on-13er-saved-in-helicopter-rescue","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/?p=15403","title":{"rendered":"Firefighter Pinned by 400-Pound Boulder on 13er Saved in Helicopter Rescue"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"justify-start\">\n<nav class=\"align-left col-span-full mb-base\" data-pom-e2e-test-id=\"breadcrumbs\"\/>\n<p>Climbing North Apostle Mountain, an off-duty first responder freed their own fractured leg from a massive dislodged rock before an intricate iPhone-facilitated Black Hawk rescue took flight.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"border-border-light border-t py-base-tight\">\n<div class=\"flex h-4 justify-between\">\n<div class=\"flex gap-x-base-tight\">\n<div class=\"\"><button class=\"inline-flex shrink-0 items-center justify-center rounded-full cursor-default bg-bg-surface hover:bg-bg-light focus:bg-bg-dark text-primary border border-solid border-border-light aria-pressed:bg-brand-primary aria-pressed:text-text-surface py-very-tight px-base-tight gap-tight font-semibold font-utility-2 opacity-50\" aria-label=\"Loading audio\" aria-pressed=\"false\" id=\"article-listen-button\" disabled=\"\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"18\" height=\"18\" viewbox=\"0 0 18 18\" fill=\"none\" class=\"\"><title>Listen to this article<\/title><path d=\"M12.5265 16.2C12.2326 16.2 12.0122 16.1265 11.7184 16.053C11.2775 15.9061 10.9102 15.6122 10.6898 15.2449C10.4694 14.8775 10.3959 14.4367 10.5428 13.9959L11.5714 10.3959C11.6449 10.1755 11.7184 9.95509 11.8653 9.80815C12.0122 9.66121 12.1592 9.51427 12.3796 9.36733C12.6 9.29386 12.8204 9.2204 13.0408 9.14693C13.2612 9.14693 13.4816 9.14693 13.702 9.2204H13.7755C14.2163 9.36733 14.5837 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3.41631 11.0571C3.26938 11.351 3.19591 11.7184 3.26938 12.0857C3.34285 12.3061 3.34284 12.5265 3.41631 12.6735L3.71019 13.849ZM13.2612 10.3224C13.1877 10.3224 13.1877 10.3224 13.2612 10.3224C13.1143 10.3224 13.0408 10.3224 12.9673 10.3959C12.8939 10.4694 12.8204 10.4694 12.8204 10.4694C12.7469 10.5428 12.7469 10.6163 12.7469 10.6898L11.7184 14.2898C11.6449 14.4367 11.7184 14.5837 11.7918 14.7306C11.8653 14.8775 12.0122 14.951 12.0857 15.0245C12.3796 15.0979 12.5265 15.0979 12.7469 15.0979C12.9673 15.0979 13.1877 15.0245 13.3347 14.8775C13.5551 14.8041 13.702 14.6571 13.849 14.4367C13.9959 14.2898 14.0694 14.0694 14.1428 13.849L14.5102 12.6735C14.5837 12.5265 14.5837 12.3061 14.6571 12.1592C14.7306 11.7918 14.6571 11.4245 14.5102 11.1306C14.2898 10.7633 13.9959 10.4694 13.5551 10.3224H13.4816C13.3347 10.3224 13.2612 10.3224 13.2612 10.3224Z\" fill=\"currentColor\"\/><\/svg><span class=\"hidden sm:inline\">Listen<\/span><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div><\/p>\n<p class=\"fp-leadCaption py-tight text-left font-utility text-utility3-size leading-utility3-line-height text-secondary\">Views of the Sawatch Range in the Colorado Rocky Mountains, located in central Colorado <!-- --> (Photo: nick1803\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"article-body\">\n<p>Published July 7, 2026 02:32PM<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>An off-duty firefighter escaped with their life after becoming pinned beneath a 400-pound boulder while climbing a remote mountain in Colorado. The firefighter, who has not been identified, had no cell service and a broken leg. Rescuers said they used \u201cprimal adrenaline\u201d to survive the ordeal.<\/p>\n<p>On the morning of July 1, a firefighter with the Eagle River Fire Protection District,\u00a0near Vail, was climbing a couloir on <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"article-content-link text-brand-primary underline hover:text-brand-primary\/85 break-words overflow-wrap-anywhere underline-offset-[3px]\" rel=\"noopener\" data-afl-p=\"0\" href=\"https:\/\/www.14ers.com\/peaks\/10701\/13er-north-apostle\">North Apostle Mountain.<\/a> The 13,869-foot peak is located in the Sawatch Range southeast of Aspen, Colorado. As the person scrambled up the <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"article-content-link text-brand-primary underline hover:text-brand-primary\/85 break-words overflow-wrap-anywhere underline-offset-[3px]\" rel=\"noopener\" data-afl-p=\"0\" href=\"https:\/\/www.climb13ers.com\/colorado-13ers\/north-apostle\">trail,<\/a> they dislodged a 400-pound boulder, which rolled over their leg, fracturing it instantly.<\/p>\n<p>The firefighter\u2019s quick thinking and technical savvy likely saved their life\u2014they managed to shift the boulder off their pinned leg and crawl to another location to call for help.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThrough incredible determination\u2014and what was described as some \u201cprimal adrenaline\u201d\u2014they were able to free themselves. Knowing their injuries were severe, they activated an emergency call for help,\u201d wrote the firefighter\u2019s company in a <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"article-content-link text-brand-primary underline hover:text-brand-primary\/85 break-words overflow-wrap-anywhere underline-offset-[3px]\" rel=\"noopener\" data-afl-p=\"0\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/EagleRiverFireProtectionDistrict\/\">statement<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><iframe class=\"fp-remove\" loading=\"lazy\" style=\"border:none;overflow:hidden\" src=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/plugins\/video.php?height=476&amp;href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Freel%2F27751313387893284%2F&amp;show_text=false&amp;width=267&amp;t=0\" width=\"267\" height=\"476\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" allowfullscreen=\"\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>In May, a climber was pinned beneath a 16,000-pound boulder on Oregon\u2019s Mount Hood, and news reports suggest that search and rescue crews <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"article-content-link text-brand-primary underline hover:text-brand-primary\/85 break-words overflow-wrap-anywhere underline-offset-[3px]\" rel=\"noopener\" data-afl-p=\"0\" href=\"https:\/\/www.backpacker.com\/survival\/survival-stories\/a-brief-history-of-hikers-getting-trapped-under-boulders\/\">extract a handful of pinned people<\/a> in the U.S. every year.<\/p>\n<p>In this remote part of Colorado wilderness, cell reception is scant. The firefighter also deployed their iPhone\u2019s Emergency SOS via Satellite feature, alerting responding Chaffee County dispatchers to their GPS coordinates.<\/p>\n<p>Authorities say Vail Mountain Rescue Group and Chaffee County Search and Rescue initiated a ground response. But the rugged terrain, severity of the trauma, and extreme 13,000-foot altitude meant rescuers needed transportation in order to reach the stricken climber. Dispatchers requested a military helicopter hoist from the High-Altitude Army Aviation Training Site (HAATS) in nearby Gypsum. HAATS trains high-altitude military helicopter pilots as the Department of Defense\u2019s only school dedicated to preparing crews for challenging mountain environments.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cTheir professionalism and skill are truly second to none,\u201d Eagle River wrote. Mountain Rescue Aspen deployed two technical rescuers from its hoist team, whose expertise has been instrumental in countless high-angle and alpine rescues across Colorado.<\/p>\n<p><iframe class=\"fp-remove\" style=\"border:none;overflow-y:hidden;background-color:white;min-width:320px;max-width:420px;width:100%;height:420px\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gaiagps.com\/public\/c5FUeUMwB4XeUJsTqxpSj0FM\/?embed=True\" seamless=\"\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>While awaiting rescue, the firefighter remained in contact with a member of Vail Mountain Rescue through the iPhone satellite texting feature, responders said. That rescuer was able to relay critical information\u2014including location, injuries, and terrain conditions\u2014to the helicopter crew. Teams also deployed ground crews in case weather or terrain prevented the helicopter from accessing the scene.<\/p>\n<p>The helicopter pilot, who was flying the last flight of his military career, arrived on the scene at 5:25 P.M. and successfully executed a 300-foot technical hoist in high winds.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAfter assessing the landing zone, the crew inserted the two Mountain Rescue Aspen technicians on a 300-foot hoist line. They quickly splinted the broken leg, packaged our firefighter, and safely hoisted them into the aircraft for transport,\u201d Eagle River wrote.<\/p>\n<p>Other responding agencies included Mountain Rescue Aspen, Chaffee County EMS, Vail Health Emergency Department, Eagle Valley Wildland, and Eagle County Airport Fire Rescue.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIncidents like this are a powerful reminder that even those who dedicate their lives to helping others sometimes need help themselves,\u201d Eagle River wrote. \u201cIt is a fitting tribute to a career spent serving others.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>After completing the mission, the helicopter pilot received a traditional military honor: a water cannon salute over the chopper.<\/p>\n<p><!-- --><span hidden=\"\" aria-hidden=\"true\"\/><\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.outsideonline.com\/outdoor-adventure\/exploration-survival\/firefighter-boulder-rescue-colorado-13er\/\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Climbing North Apostle Mountain, an off-duty first responder freed their own fractured leg from a massive dislodged rock before an intricate iPhone-facilitated Black Hawk rescue took flight. Listen to this articleListen Views of the Sawatch Range in the Colorado Rocky Mountains, located in central Colorado (Photo: nick1803\/Getty Images) Published July 7, 2026 02:32PM An off-duty<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":15404,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[35],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-15403","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-wild-living"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15403","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=15403"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15403\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/15404"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=15403"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=15403"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=15403"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}