Crestone Needle | Fourteener Rescue | Making Dangerous Things Look Easy | Blackhawks in Action

These guys are absolutely incredible. Risking their own lives because of others poor decisions. All these rescuers easily could have died. And yet, they went in there to save the lives of two people they don't know.

As both a climber and a Helicopter pilot... I love this on SO MANY levels! Well done to ALL involved!

“If you’re going to do really dangerous things, you have to be really good at doing them.” Love it

Not to shit on the guy but if you can climb back up to your highpoint, your climbing partner was right, should've rappel down instead of risking the rescuer.

As someone that has done a lot of really dangerous things in my life, and rescued people in really dangerous places, it always upsets me how little people understand the danger people put their rescuers in because they really don't have the skills to be there. It feels like its gotten a lot worse out there for anyone doing rescues, but we who do go, still go.

My family was rescued by these guys in August of 2018. They have got to be the best in the world. So grateful for Vail Mountain Rescue. Truly life saving, extremely skilled and selfless people!!!!!! They literally save my daughter's life. She would not have survived another 24 hours and she is the mother of 3. Helicopter rescue.

very nice production - showing what actually happened -

What’s remarkable is that they do these missions for those that are alive and for those loved ones who are recovered. My father in-law was recovered in Aug 2006 on the Crestone Needles/Crestone peak area after he fell. We know he made summit on one of them because we were able to recover his sd card from his camera and he had a selfie. He always did when he climbed a 14er. Thank you for risking your lives to get our loved ones back home and for treating each one the same.

If I could describe the communication and incredible teamwork by the guards and the rescue team would be OUTSTANDING job. Respect from Sweden

When my dad and I climbed the needle we ran into a group that had spent the night on the mountain after climbing the arette. They didn't need rescue, they just knew it would take a long time and brought a lightweight tent with them. The area they camped was, like where the rescue happened, a dinner table sized ledge with 1000ft drop on both sides. Something to know about the rock on the Crestones is that its a double edged sword. The rock is extremely solid and stable, the best climbing rock I've ever seen in my life. It also doesn't have many cracks on it making gear placement impossible in most places. Also these guys were so lucky that they had cell service to call for rescue, most of these mountains don't.

we attempted this route back in summer of 97' ended up climbing Humboldt Peak across the valley. Beautiful valley.........

I thank God for people like you, every day! You are incredible!!

This is a downright beautiful documentary that showcases the vulnerable human element behind missions like this that most people never get to see. The average person only gets a glimpse of what missions like these are like through watered-down, glamoured-up news reports that they see on TV. Hats off to this SAR team for successfully carrying out such a difficult mission, and to CPT Henderson for putting this documentary together.

Someone like Mr dale atkins is absolutely the face you’d want too see when being rescued.

The description of their rescue plan around 16 minutes in is some of the most fascinating stuff I’ve learned in a while. The amount of nimble intelligence it takes to pull something like this off is astonishing.

So easy to take for granted how much goes into a rescue operation. Wonderful glimpse into that world.

Gotta admit I’m conflicted. Yea,I’m 61 and from an era where we simply knew we had to self-rescue or die. No options available. Somewhat infamously, i fell 60’ off the Diamond (Longs Peak) during an attempted winter ascent and had a paralyzed spine, forced bivi in a winter storm and a several mile crawl out. I have raised my now 16 year-old daughter as a mountain athlete in the mold of my era. Seems like the more proficient and kickass modern rescues become, a psychological paradigm has shifted creating a new and ever growing demographic of less experienced outdoor/mountain “athletes” that just go for projects for which they may not be ready. They seem eased by the growing fact that, well? We can always call for a rescue. 🤷🏽‍♂🙏🏾💯🕉

It's crazy that some of our national guard guys are like special forces level pilot skill. I would have loved a brief summary of pilot resumes. How well the pilot placed the rescue tech when he lowered him was just freaking perfect.

I’m glad YouTube put this in my algo. Thanks to SAR and all involved for all they do!

Just one of the many amazing rescues that the Colorado Army National Guard flight crews preform that are based on Buckley and up at HAATS on Eagle Airport.