Unready skiers go astray in out-of-bounds terrain at nightfall, Colorado rescuers say
Two skiers without proper gear or clothing had to be rescued from a hazardous out-of-bounds area on Ajax Mountain, a Colorado sheriff’s office reported.
A 911 caller reported two skiers in rugged terrain below the Hero’s Lift on the mountain, also known as Aspen Mountain, at 5:50 p.m. Saturday, March 9, the Pitkin County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.
Snowmobile teams from Mountain Rescue Aspen brought extra clothing, avalanche beacons and headlamps to the skiers, sheriff’s officials said.
At 7:24 p.m., rescuers found the skiers and started down the mountain with them.
“The rescuers and the two skiers were forced to ski slowly and carefully using headlamps to see due to the darkness and extremely difficult terrain,” sheriff’s officials said.
Another team blazed a trail to meet the descending skiers and rescuers, who safely reached a parking area at 8:30 p.m.
“All skiers and snowboarders are reminded to obey all closures and ski boundary signs,” the agency warned.
The 11,212-foot Ajax Mountain is about a 200-mile drive southwest of Denver.
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