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Mountain biker rescued off Colorado Trail near Rico

Injuries required helicopter transport

An injured mountain biker was rescued Sunday from the Colorado Trail east of Rico and was airlifted out, according to Dolores County Search and Rescue.

A report by Capt. Keith Keesling in the Dove Creek Press said the Dolores County Sheriff’s Office was notified about 1 p.m. about an activated GPS tracking device in the county.

Calls to family and the International Emergency Response Coordination Center led to the discovery of an injured 59-year-old cyclist near Section Point at 11,756 feet elevation.

More than 33 rescuers from six agencies took part in the operation. Flight for Life launched from Durango and located the party of three cyclists. The helicopter landed at a lower elevation to offload some weight, then landed near the injured party, Keesling said.

After a medical assessment, the injuries were not life-threatening, but the person could not self-extract and elected to be flown to the trailhead. After refusing further transport, the injured person used private transportation for follow up care.