A 7-year-old boy was airlifted to Mercy Hospital and then to Denver on Sunday after falling 35 feet from a chairlift at Purgatory Resort.
Purgatory Ski Patrol and Durango Fire Protection District crews responded shortly after 11 a.m. Patrollers transported the boy from under Lift 1 to the base area, where DFPD assumed patient care.
The Classic Air Medical helicopter was called after DFPD medics observed symptoms that could indicate internal injuries, said Battalion Chief Charlie Amos.
The child was later flown by Flight for Life to Denver for a higher level of care, his father confirmed.
Lift 1, known as Purgatory Village Express, is a six-person chairlift that ascends 1,500 vertical feet from the main base area.
It is unclear whether the safety bar was down when the boy fell. A Purgatory spokeswoman was not immediately available for comment.
Colorado ski resorts are not required to report injuries or deaths that occur on their slopes, making such incidents difficult to track.
A 7-year-old girl was injured at Purgatory Resort in 2017 after falling 26 feet from Lift 1, and a man fell 30 feet from the same lift in 2020.
rschafir@durangoherald.com
This story has been updated to reflect that the child was flown to Denver for further care, and not released from Mercy Hospital as previously reported. Incorrect information was given to The Durango Herald.
