LAKE CITY, Colo. — Skilled Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) members and helpful ice climbers came to the rescue of a bull elk that had become entangled in climbing rope near ice walls in Lake City.
CPW said the ice climbers spotted the entangled animal near one of the ice walls on Jan. 3. The trio called for help, and a group of skilled CPW members deployed to the scene.
According to the agency, the bull elk was "darted" so it could be safely approached. The CPW team then cut the rope away but needed a way to get the bull elk down from the wall. That's when the ice climbers stepped in to help.
CPW said the ice climbers helped "rig up" the bull elk so it could be safely belayed down the base of the wall.
Once the animal was safely on the ground, CPW reversed the tranquilizer, and after 12 minutes, the bull elk popped up and ran off.
In a social media post, CPW thanked the climbers — Chris, Chris and Becky — and called the incident "a reminder of the many various tangle hazards wildlife can get caught in."