Hiker breaks her leg and spends night stranded in wilderness, Colorado rescuers say

A woman in her 20s broke her leg hiking near Silverton and spent a night stranded in the wilderness, Colorado rescuers reported.

The New Mexico woman went off-trail on a day hike and injured her leg near the Animas River, the Office of Emergency Management in San Juan County reported in a news release.

After one night in the wilderness, the woman managed to reach a visible spot on the riverbank where she could flag down passing trains, rescuers said.

A train passenger spotted the woman and Durango Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad officials notified authorities at 11:38 a.m. on Monday, Oct. 10, the release said.

Two train employees who also are medics crossed the river and stayed with the woman until the Silverton Medical Rescue team arrived, according to the release.

A helicopter brought in rescuers, who set up a rope system to carry the woman across the river, and she was airlifted to a hospital. A train took the rescuers out.

“Another person in a moment of need was successfully brought home due to teamwork and collaboration,” the release said.

Silverton is a city of about 620 people more than 300 miles southwest of Denver.

This story was originally published October 12, 2022 at 8:01 AM with the headline "Hiker breaks her leg and spends night stranded in wilderness, Colorado rescuers say."