Climber rescued after falling nearly 30 feet in Sandia Mountains

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Local authorities worked to rescue a person injured after falling nearly 30 feet while rock climbing Saturday in the Sandia Mountains.

According to Albuquerque Fire Rescue, a team responded around 11 a.m, to the Sandia Crest Nature Trail to assist multiple agencies with a hiker who reportedly fell off a cliff.

It wasn’t easy getting to them. AFR says it took their crews about 40 minutes to reach the hiker. Once they did, they confirmed the hiker sustained significant injuries.

Authorities then called in a five-person crew from the New Mexico National Guard. According to AFR, their Lobo One helicopter arrived at around 12:50 p.m. and hoisted the hiker up about 15 minutes later.

They identified the hiker as a 37-year-old woman who fell nearly 30 feet while rock climbing. The crew flew her to Cutler Aviation in Albuquerque where an ambulance then drove her to UNM Hospital.

New Mexico State Police’s Search and Rescue Operations and Albuquerque police, as well as fire crews and deputies from Bernalillo County responded to this operation.