{"id":30482,"date":"2023-11-22T22:40:00","date_gmt":"2023-11-23T05:40:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/man-pulled-212-feet-up-cliffside-in-la-plata-mountains\/"},"modified":"2026-03-31T01:20:15","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T07:20:15","slug":"man-pulled-212-feet-up-cliffside-in-la-plata-mountains","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/man-pulled-212-feet-up-cliffside-in-la-plata-mountains\/","title":{"rendered":"Man pulled 212 feet up cliffside in La Plata Mountains"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\"Rescue
Rescue workers pulled a 22-year-old man to safety Saturday night after he plunged 212 feet off a cliffside in the La Plata Mountains. The strange lighting and shadows were caused by high-powered lighting being used in a cloud bank at 12,000 feet in elevation. (Courtesy of La Plata County Search and Rescue)<\/span>cca<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

It took eight hours, 30 rescue workers and every inch of a 213-foot-long rope to pull a man to safety who plunged 212 feet off the side of a cliff while riding an all-terrain vehicle in the La Plata Mountains.<\/p>\n

The crash was reported about 4:30 p.m. Saturday in an area known as the Notch, which is an old mining road that cuts through a ridgeline atop Kennebec Pass. The Notch, which is visible from Durango, has a sharp right turn as vehicles travel from west (La Plata Canyon) to east (Junction Creek drainage).<\/p>\n

If drivers aren\u2019t familiar with the road, are dealing with slick conditions or have low visibility, \u201cyou might miss that corner and get a surprise and end up where he ended up, which is through the notch as if he was not aware there was a right-hand turn,\u201d said Ron Corkish, president of La Plata County Search and Rescue.<\/p>\n

\"Rescue
Rescue workers pulled a 22-year-old man to safety Saturday night after he plunged 212 feet off a cliffside in the La Plata Mountains. (Courtesy of La Plata County Search and Rescue)<\/span>cca<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

The 22-year-old man was also traveling in snowy conditions.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s tough in the summer, let alone with an inch or 3 (inches) of snow,\u201d Corkish said.<\/p>\n

Another person who was with the ATV rider immediately called 911, but the reception didn\u2019t last long.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe details were just super sketchy,\u201d Corkish said. \u201cAll we started out with was, \u2018I\u2019m in La Plata Canyon with my friend and \u2026\u2019 and then nothing,\u201d Corkish said.<\/p>\n

Even though they didn\u2019t have much to go on, search and rescue members began coordinating a rescue effort.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe said, \u2018Well, we know something\u2019s going on in the canyon or they wouldn\u2019t have called 911, so let\u2019s go find out what\u2019s going on in the canyon,\u2019\u201d Corkish said. \u201c \u2026 We don\u2019t wait.\u201d<\/p>\n

After losing cellphone reception, the person who was with the ATV rider alerted other travelers of the accident. The good Samaritans headed down the mountain to find better cellphone reception and were able to better inform dispatchers of what had happened.<\/p>\n

\"Rescue
Rescue workers pulled a 22-year-old man to safety Saturday night after he plunged 212 feet off a cliffside in the La Plata Mountains. (Courtesy of La Plata County Search and Rescue)<\/span>cca<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

Remarkably, the man who drove off the edge of the road was also able to reach for his cellphone and place a 911 call, Corkish said. He ended up on the east side of the canyon, which has a more direct line of sight with a cellphone tower.<\/p>\n

Adding to the complexity, the man was a Spanish speaker. Dispatchers had to rely on voice translation software to communicate with him, Corkish said. On the plus side, the man had 89% battery life, which meant dispatchers could keep in touch with him.<\/p>\n

Many times, rescue workers are dealing with people who have low phone battery life, Corkish said. He said part of being prepared when recreating outdoors means having mostly charged devices.<\/p>\n

\u201cKudos to the kid for having a cellphone charge,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\"Rescue
Rescue workers pulled a 22-year-old man to safety Saturday night after he plunged 212 feet off a cliffside in the La Plata Mountains. (Courtesy of La Plata County Search and Rescue)<\/span>cca<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

The man, who was wearing a helmet, was alert and well-oriented while speaking with dispatchers. He suffered numerous injuries, including to his ribs, legs and back, but he fared fairly well given the nature of the accident.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you think of a guy going off a cliff 212 feet, I think he was doing pretty good,\u201d Corkish said.<\/p>\n

He described the mountainside as a 70-degree slope with two vertical sections that were 10-15 feet in height. Search and rescue members had several ropes about 197 feet long and one 213-foot rope \u2013 \u201cand that was the difference,\u201d Corkish said.<\/p>\n

\"Rescue
Rescue workers pulled a 22-year-old man to safety Saturday night after he plunged 212 feet off a cliffside in the La Plata Mountains. (Courtesy of La Plata County Search and Rescue)<\/span>cca<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

The crash occurred just before nightfall, so crews worked mostly in the dark. They set up high-powered lights to help them see over the edge. The ridge, at 12,000 feet in elevation, was largely socked in by clouds \u2013 called a cloud bank \u2013 and with temperatures dipping to 20 degrees, it created a fine mist of snow.<\/p>\n

Occasionally, command crews stationed in Durango could see the lights through the cloud bank.<\/p>\n

In addition to search and rescue, members from Durango Fire Protection District and Fort Lewis Mesa Fire Protection District helped with the rescue.<\/p>\n

The man was pulled to safety shortly after midnight \u2013 about eight hours after the crash.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt took every bit of 30 folks to pull that off,\u201d Corkish said.<\/p>\n

shane@durangoherald.com<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n