Here's the Owner's complete story of that day, pretty incredible really.
"Aug 22, roughly 2pm. I was trail riding near Montezuma, CO on a trail called Radical Hill with my German Shepherd Barbie. This is basically a shortcut to the top of the summit. After rock climbing over several obstacles and going up the trail about 4-5 miles, I reached a small cabin near the top. I took a water break and got Barbie out to roam. We enjoyed the fresh cool air and views from about 12,000ft, but a storm was forming on the other side. We had only about 1/2 mile left before reaching the very top and intersecting at Montezuma road and at the time seemed like the easier of paths to get off the mountain before the storm came over.
While traveling up the trail around several switchbacks, the trail at the top created a rock slide under the back right tire pulling the jeep down the steep incline. The Jeep flipped straight backwards and rolled several times before ejecting me straight out the top. I was basically parallel in air with the hood. And yes I had my seat beat on...but it somehow failed which apparently in this case was a good thing. The next few seconds are a blur of impacts and flips before landing face down on the mountain side and catching myself from falling any further.
Once I stopped sliding, I picked myself up and looked down the mountain side. The Jeep was no where in sight. The first thing I saw was my bright white Yeti Cooler in the middle of the road about 30 yards down the mountain side and I thought well I got waters and a subway sandwich at least (survival mode had already kicked in). In the middle of the switchback curve 20 yards below me I saw Barbie laying on her side lifeless. I called her name and she picked her head up...I told to "hold on I'm coming".
By the time I got to her, she was standing waiting on me and I couldn't believe we were both standing there in a debris field that looked like an airplane crash. One of my Fox shocks was half buried in the mountain side to my right. I grabbed all the water I could from the Yeti and put them in a soft canvas bag that was laying beside it.
Barbie and I continued down the switchback road and rounded the next curve and could finally see the jeep on its side below the road. As I approached it, I saw my laptop bag totally unharmed...and my son's school ID next to it that he supposedly lost last year. Of course, I picked that up and put it around my neck and said "Barbie, we are going get off this mountain."
I could see the cabin in the distance and a storm was popping up to the west so I headed to cabin to take shelter from the storm and to wait to see if the others would come up. Earlier in the day, I was running with about 3 other jeeps up this trail. I ended up in the lead at the top after the one in front of me struggled getting over a rock obstacle. I continued up to the cabin as noted above and was waiting. A storm was building on the other side of the peak and I guess the others turned around due to seeing the storm or couldn't get over the rock as they never made it to the cabin at the top that day. I could see Jeeps across the valley to the other summit and I was hoping maybe they saw or heard it...this was above the tree line so you can see very far from one top to the other.
I could tell I was bleeding bad and somehow I had a towel with me...I still don't know where it came from. I wrapped my head up tight and starting drinking a bottle of water to stay hydrated...giving Barbie some along the way. I knew a guy was camping at the bottom of the hill about 4 miles down and a few hours before dark I would head down to try to reach him if no one can along. I knew it would get really cold fast that high up once the sun went down. After about 30 minutes or so, I heard a motor noise and a man's voice saying "I hope no one is dead" and telling his friend to "look for bodies". Once they stopped, I yelled at them and they came down the mountain to my position at the cabin. I'll never forget the look on their face when they first saw me...my forehead had a gash that was basically exposing my skull.
Joshua Fabrizio, you and Rico are life savers and I'm forever thankful for how you guys took care of me and got me off the mountain side. Even going back up to film the video and find my wallet and other personal belongings scattered for a good 100 yards down the side of the mountain.
I got on his 4 wheeler and we headed to the tiny town of Montezuma. Barbie couldn't fit as she is almost 70lbs at 11 months and about 5 feet long. She would have been thrown off on the way down, so she followed right behind us for miles down the rocky road and even across a deep water crossing. She made it all the way to town but fell behind and out of sight as we sped up to find a house to call for an ambulance. I went to the hospital not knowing where Barbie was that night but knew she would stay in that town. Later on, the sheriff told me they went up the road after loading me up in the ambulance about a half mile and found her laying in the middle of the road. They took her to a dog shelter about 200 yards from my hospital and had her checked out with a local vet. Only injuries were some broken toe nails, a small cut above her eye, and a few scratches on her ears. No broken bones.
Me, I wasn't so lucky. After going airborne and face planting the side of the mountain, I ended up with a huge gash across my forehead and a small fracture to my nose. I have cuts and bruises all over...even my finger tips are bruised. I have two broken ribs...and a Jeep that is twisted rubble.
But somehow, I walked away...with my dog. And two guys I will be forever grateful for.
Ken McCoy
"
