DENVER (KDVR) — Two off-duty firefighters happened to be in the right place at the right time on Sunday when they witnessed a skier begin an attempt to descend a gully on South Arapahoe Peak before falling.

It happened on the Skywalker Couloir. According to the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office, the skier was beginning the ski descent of the couloir, which is west of Nederland, when he fell and slid around 1,000-2,000 feet down the snowfield before his fall was arrested on a rock ledge.

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The pair of off-duty firefighters in the area were able to call 911 after witnessing the fall and moved quickly to give the 47-year-old man first aid and relay information to rescue teams. The skier suffered serious injuries from his fall, according to the sheriff’s office, but remained stable throughout his transport from the fall scene to a local hospital.

The journey to get him to a local hospital was extensive.

Medical personnel and rescuers from the Rocky Mountain Rescue Group flew by MedEvac to a spot near the scene. The personnel were able to climb up to the injured skier and provide additional medical care, with some assistance from other bystanders who helped carry equipment. Additional rescuers also hiked in from the Fourth of July trailhead to bring additional equipment.

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On the ground, rescuers placed the skier in a “fully body vacuum splint” and hoisted him from the scene with help from the Colorado Hoist Rescue Team. The helicopter was able to land at the Nederland Middle-Senior High School, where paramedics from American Medical Response transported the skier by ambulance to a local hospital for further care.

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