BERTHOUD PASS, Colo. — A 78-year-old driver was seriously injured after tumbling 400 feet off the edge of Berthoud Pass on Saturday, the East Grand Fire Protection District No. 4 said.
The crash happened about 4 p.m. near a large turnout area above a switchback on U.S. 40 on the Winter Park side of the pass.
The driver’s SUV went over the edge and stopped in trees and rocks, officials said.
The driver and the vehicle were nearly invisible from the turnout, and no one saw the accident so it wasn’t reported, officials said.
The man was able to make a 911 call to provide the general location of where he was at.
A Grand County ambulance found faint tracks leading to the edge where the vehicle went over.
A Colorado State Patrol trooper responded, and climbed down the steep hillside and found the driver.
Paramedics and firefighters worked to pull the man back to the top of the pass. The rescue took about four hours to complete.
The man was flown to a Front Range hospital with serious injuries. His condition has not been updated.
In all, 25 responders were at the scene to help in the rescue.