STEAMBOAT SPRINGS — A man who was out hunting in Slater Park north of Hayden Wednesday morning was pronounced dead after experiencing a medical emergency, according to the Routt County Sheriff’s Office.
The 69-year-old man, whose identification has not yet been released, was having difficulty breathing while in the field, according to Routt County Undersheriff Doug Scherar. A call for emergency assistance came in at around 7:30 a.m. from his location.
Search and Rescue crews from Routt and Moffat counties were dispatched to the scene, located in a remote area of California Park, north of Hayden, known as Slater Park in Routt National Forest. The location was accessed through Moffat County, off U.S. Forest Service Road 116, according to Scherar.
Before emergency services arrived, however, CPR had to be administered on the man, who then died at around 10 a.m. It is believed that the man suffered a medical issue, Scherar said.
The man was with a group of fellow hunters, who had contacted 911. A detective with the sheriff’s office was still at the scene, along with Search and Rescue, as of 1 p.m.
Routt County Search and Rescue and Moffat County Search and Rescue assisted at the scene along with the Routt County Sheriff’s Office, Moffat County Sheriff’s Office and Routt County Coroner’s Office.
To reach Bryce Martin, call 970-871-4206 or email bmartin@SteamboatPilot.com.