Snowboarder rescue took nearly 12 hours in 40 mph gusts
The rescue of a snowboarder who went missing earlier this week near Nederland was a herculean task that took nearly 12 hours, according to new information from the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office.
A news release stated that the snowboarder, a 50-year-old man from Louisville, had been recreating on U.S. Forest Service land near the Caribou townsite when he was reported overdue Sunday evening.
When the Sheriff’s Office was notified of the possible overdue boarder early Monday morning, deputies tried to locate his vehicle in the Caribou area, but gusting wind and blowing snow prevented them from traversing the roads.
According to the release, about 40 search and rescue personnel searched the area on snowmobiles and UTVS, and on foot using skis and snowshoes. Rescuers worked for nearly 12 hours in near whiteout conditions with wind gusts that reached up to 40 miles per hour. Multiple agencies assisted with the effort.
The weather Monday morning into the early afternoon was “not conducive for air operations,” the release stated. Later, after the winds and clouds lifted, a Colorado Army National Guard helicopter and drones were used for an air search.
The release stated the man did not know the area well and got lost after he boarded down what he believed was Klondike Mountain. After dark, the man, who has declined to be publicly identified, built a small shelter for himself and kept warm by running in place.
On Monday morning, he started hiking toward safety, and by 6:30 Monday evening, he was found by rescuers near the 5300 block of Caribou Road, taken to a hospital via ambulance, treated and released.