{"id":70244,"date":"2026-02-05T08:03:56","date_gmt":"2026-02-05T15:03:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/?p=70244"},"modified":"2026-02-10T09:58:32","modified_gmt":"2026-02-10T16:58:32","slug":"frigid-night-on-mount-yale-treating-severe-frostbite-in-hyperbaric-chamber","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/frigid-night-on-mount-yale-treating-severe-frostbite-in-hyperbaric-chamber\/","title":{"rendered":"After falling 500 feet, she survived a frigid night on a mountainside. Frostbite nearly took her toes."},"content":{"rendered":"<div style=\"margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;\" class=\"sharethis-inline-share-buttons\" ><\/div><figure id=\"attachment_88402\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-88402\" style=\"width: 640px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-88402\" src=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2026\/02\/02095423\/UCH-Sarah-8383-web.webp\" alt=\"Sarah and Kendall Westhoff returned to climb a 14er in Colorado's Collegiate Range last summer. Back in November of 2022, Sarah fell while climbing Mount Yale and had to spend a freezing night on the peak. Kendall and rescuers saved Sarah's life, but she suffered severe frostbite. After specialized treatments, Sarah recovered and once again, loves spending time in the outdoors. Photo by Willie Petersen, for UCHealth.\" width=\"640\" height=\"467\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-88402\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sarah and Kendall Westhoff returned to climb a 14er in Colorado&#8217;s Collegiate Range last summer. Back in November of 2022, Sarah fell while climbing Mount Yale and had to spend a freezing night on the peak. Kendall and rescuers saved Sarah&#8217;s life, but she suffered severe frostbite. After specialized treatments, Sarah recovered and once again, loves spending time in the outdoors. Photo by Willie Petersen, for UCHealth.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">Sarah and Kendall Westhoff set off for a late-fall ascent of\u202f<\/span><a id=\"\" href=\"https:\/\/www.14ers.com\/peaks\/10021\/mount-yale\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">Mount Yale<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"none\">,\u00a0one of\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/want-to-try-climbing-a-colorado-14er-start-planning\/\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">Colorado\u2019s famous 14ers<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u00a0and\u00a0a jewel in\u00a0the\u00a0Collegiate\u00a0Range,\u00a0but\u00a0decided to turn around before they reached the summit.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335557856&quot;:16777215,&quot;335559739&quot;:240,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">As daylight began to fade on that Friday before Thanksgiving, the unthinkable happened.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335557856&quot;:16777215,&quot;335559739&quot;:240,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">Sarah slipped and tumbled 500 feet down a snow field, finally coming to a stop in a field of rocks.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335557856&quot;:16777215,&quot;335559739&quot;:240,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"su-youtube su-u-responsive-media-yes\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"400\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/uY4smjQXC3Q?mute=1\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen allow=\"autoplay; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture\" title=\"Live Like There Is a Tomorrow | Sarah Westhoff | UCHealth\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">Kendall, who was then her boyfriend, saw\u00a0Sarah had landed\u00a0face down. She was not moving.\u00a0He descended down the snow-filled gully to reach her.\u00a0She was bloodied and bruised, with multiple facial fractures and a broken nose. Remarkably, she was still conscious and able to talk to him.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335557856&quot;:16777215,&quot;335559739&quot;:240,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u201cI chipped my\u00a0tooth,\u2019\u2019 she said.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335557856&quot;:16777215,&quot;335559739&quot;:240,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">That Sarah was unaware of her other injuries spoke to her foggy cognitive status. Kendall stayed calm and used his Garmin satellite inReach device to contact rescuers from\u202f<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.chaffeesarsouth.org\/\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">Chaffee County Search and Rescue<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"none\">. After receiving the call,\u00a0rescuers\u00a0gathered\u00a0cold-weather gear, ice\u00a0axes\u00a0and crampons.\u00a0They\u2019d\u00a0have to head out on foot.\u00a0With winds whipping\u00a0the\u00a0steep terrain\u00a0and\u00a0blowing snow and\u00a0darkness coming fast, there was no way the\u00a0rescuers\u00a0could land a helicopter.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335557856&quot;:16777215,&quot;335559739&quot;:240,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_70249\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-70249\" style=\"width: 640px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-70249\" src=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2023\/06\/07130742\/Day-of-accident-hike-mount-Yaleweb.webp\" alt=\"a picture taken on the top of Mount Yale before she slipped and fell 500 feet and got severe frostbite, which was treated at UCHealth in a hyperbaric chamber. Photo courtesy of Sarah Westhoff.\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-70249\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Kendall Westhoff and his then-girlfriend Sarah stopped for a selfie while climbing Mount Yale on a cold day in November 2022. Later that day, Sarah slipped and fell 500 feet down the side of the mountain. Photo courtesy of Sarah Westhoff.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">In the pitch black of night on the side of the mountain, with a wind chill of minus 15 degrees as winds gusted 20 to 30 mph, Kendall did all he\u00a0could to make sure Sarah, now 29, stayed conscious and aware.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335557856&quot;:16777215,&quot;335559739&quot;:240,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">Every 20 minutes,\u00a0he\u2019d\u00a0say: \u201cHey, Sarah.\u201d\u00a0She\u2019d\u00a0answer, \u201cI\u2019m here.\u201d<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335557856&quot;:16777215,&quot;335559739&quot;:240,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">He wrapped her in an emergency blanket as well as all the extra layers he pulled from his pack to keep her body temperature up while waiting for\u00a0rescuers.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335557856&quot;:16777215,&quot;335559739&quot;:240,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><strong>Rescuers fight the cold to reach her on Mount Yale<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">Seven hours later, a five-person crew from the search and rescue team arrived to help. They loaded Sarah on a sled, wrapped her in more blankets and moved her to the treeline. They built a fire and waited for sunrise.<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_88405\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-88405\" style=\"width: 640px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-88405\" src=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2026\/02\/02102227\/UCH-Sarah-8498-web.webp\" alt=\"Sarah and Kendall Westhoff returned to hike a 14er in Colorado's Collegiate Range last summer. Sarah suffered severe frostbite after a fall on Mount Yale in 2022. Thanks to a rescue and specialized treatments, Sarah has been able to return to activities she loves, including hiking and snowboarding. Photo by Willie Petersen, for UCHealth.\" width=\"640\" height=\"416\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-88405\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sarah and Kendall Westhoff returned to hike a 14er in Colorado&#8217;s Collegiate Range last summer. Sarah suffered severe frostbite after a fall on Mount Yale in 2022. Thanks to a rescue and specialized treatments, Sarah has been able to return to activities she loves, including hiking and snowboarding. Photo by Willie Petersen, for UCHealth.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">Once morning broke, an improvement in the weather allowed a helicopter to pick up Sarah and fly her to\u202f<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/locations\/uchealth-burn-center-anschutz-medical-campus\/\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">UCHealth\u2019s Burn and Frostbite Center<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u202fon the Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora, Colorado.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335557856&quot;:16777215,&quot;335559739&quot;:240,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">In the helicopter, Sarah was quite alert.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335557856&quot;:16777215,&quot;335559739&quot;:240,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u201cThey were joking with me, and I was joking with them. I was saying, \u2018Do you know why I can\u2019t open my eye?\u2019 And they were like, \u2018Yeah, you put on a little too much makeup this morning. I think\u00a0the purple\u00a0was a little dark for your coloration. Maybe try a different shade for tomorrow.\u2019\u2019\u2019<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335557856&quot;:16777215,&quot;335559739&quot;:240,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">At the hospital, a dozen medical personnel swarmed around her. It was the first day of a 5-day hospital stay, followed by more than 100 hospital and clinic visits over the next six months.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335557856&quot;:16777215,&quot;335559739&quot;:240,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">In the emergency room, caregivers did a full-body assessment. Sarah\u00a0had multiple cuts and facial fractures, but the biggest concern was severe frostbite on her toes and feet. They were blackened and blistered \u2013 an inflammatory response from the body to combat injury. Optimally,\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0best to treat<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/diseases-conditions\/frostbite\/\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u202ffrostbite<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u202fwithin eight hours of onset, but it\u00a0had\u00a0already been much longer.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335557856&quot;:16777215,&quot;335559739&quot;:240,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">Sarah\u2019s parents, who live in Colorado Springs, drove up to the hospital that morning to be with her. Her three brothers, who had planned to gather for Thanksgiving at their parents\u2019 home, came to Colorado sooner to provide support for the family.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335557856&quot;:16777215,&quot;335559739&quot;:240,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">A multi-disciplinary team of doctors met on Sunday and Monday to discuss the best options for Sarah, an athlete who had played high school and college sports and reveled in the outdoors.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335557856&quot;:16777215,&quot;335559739&quot;:240,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">One of the options was to amputate her toes and part of each foot.<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_88407\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-88407\" style=\"width: 640px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-88407\" src=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2026\/02\/02102435\/UCH-Sarah-9671-web.webp\" alt=\"Sarah Westhoff is an outdoor enthusiast who enjoys hiking, rock climbing, skiing and snowboarding, Photo by Willie Petersen, for UCHealth.\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-88407\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sarah Westhoff is an outdoor enthusiast who enjoys hiking, rock climbing, skiing and snowboarding, Photo by Willie Petersen, for UCHealth.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2><strong>Severe frostbite becomes the biggest threat to her future mobility<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u201cIt definitely was a harsh reality\u00a0in\u00a0the moment,\u2019\u2019 Sarah said. \u201cBut hearing it, I very much accepted it early on. It was something that I had made peace with.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335557856&quot;:16777215,&quot;335559739&quot;:240,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u201cAccidents happen. Mistakes happen, and\u00a0I\u2019m\u00a0young, and I just knew that I could come away from it in a way that I would just grow from there.\u00a0I\u2019m\u00a0Catholic, and my faith has been instrumental throughout my entire journey. I just had a lot of trust and a lot of faith that whatever happened, it would be OK.\u2019\u2019<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335557856&quot;:16777215,&quot;335559739&quot;:240,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">On Tuesday, doctors\u00a0proposed a different idea. They encouraged\u00a0Sarah\u00a0to\u00a0try treatments\u00a0in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber at\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/locations\/uchealth-memorial-hospital-central\/\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">UCHealth Memorial Hospital Central.<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u00a0Doctors could not guarantee results, but they thought it would be worth a try. Besides, in Colorado Springs, she could stay with her parents and receive\u00a0additional\u00a0support\u00a0close to home.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335557856&quot;:16777215,&quot;335559739&quot;:240,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">Kendall drove Sarah from\u00a0University of Colorado Hospital in Aurora\u00a0to\u00a0Memorial Hospital\u00a0on Wednesday \u2013 the day before Thanksgiving, 2022. Upon their arrival, they met a team of nurses led by\u202f<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/provider\/robert-c-price-md-urgent-care\/\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">Dr. Robert Price<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"none\">, medical director of\u202f<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/locations\/uchealth-hyperbaric-oxygen-hbo-memorial-hospital-central\/\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">hyperbaric medicine<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u202fat the hospital. A military veteran, Price honed his skills in hyperbaric medicine while working with special forces who sustained diving injuries.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335557856&quot;:16777215,&quot;335559739&quot;:240,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_70251\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-70251\" style=\"width: 640px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-70251\" src=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2023\/06\/07130809\/HBOweb.webp\" alt=\"Sarah began the first of 30 sessions in a hyperbaric chamber to help with frostbite. She then endured 15 skin grafts in the wound care center in conjunction with an additional 40 hyperbaric treatments to stimulate healing of the skin grafts. Photo by Cary Vogrin, UCHealth.\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-70251\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sarah began the first of 30 sessions in a hyperbaric chamber to help with frostbite. She then endured 15 skin grafts in the wound care center in conjunction with an additional 40 hyperbaric treatments to stimulate healing of the skin grafts. Photo by Cary Vogrin, UCHealth.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">Hyperbaric medicine is often used for patients who have frostbite, diabetic foot\u00a0wounds\u00a0and radiation injuries after cancer treatment. Inside the chamber, patients receive 100% oxygen at a higher pressure, and doctors like Price speak of the pressure in terms of \u201catmospheres.\u2019\u2019<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335557856&quot;:16777215,&quot;335559739&quot;:240,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u201cOne atmosphere is the equivalent of 33 feet of seawater. Most of our treatments are at two\u00a0atmospheres\u00a0of pressure. Some are at 2.5 atmospheres,\u2019\u2019 he said.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335557856&quot;:16777215,&quot;335559739&quot;:240,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">It takes about 10 minutes to take the chamber to two atmospheres and 10 minutes to bring the pressure back to one atmosphere. In between, patients spend\u00a090 minutes\u00a0in the chamber receiving 100% oxygen.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335557856&quot;:16777215,&quot;335559739&quot;:240,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u201cThe magic comes by achieving higher partial pressure in the blood,\u2019\u2019 Price said. \u201cNormally, we count on hemoglobin to carry oxygen in the blood, but with\u00a0the higher\u00a0pressure, we can force more oxygen into the body. Then, if you have a capillary going to an injured area, because there is higher pressure, oxygen\u00a0diffuses out\u00a0further,\u2019\u2019 Price said. More oxygen going to wounds promotes healing.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335557856&quot;:16777215,&quot;335559739&quot;:240,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">While Sarah was still at\u00a0University\u00a0of Colorado Hospital,\u00a0Price\u00a0reviewed her records remotely. When he first saw Sarah\u2019s toes and feet, her toes and forefoot were bare of skin, such that her toes were at\u00a0a high risk\u00a0of amputation. Price believed that there was a 50-50 chance that Sarah would lose\u00a0all of\u00a0her toes and part of her foot.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335557856&quot;:16777215,&quot;335559739&quot;:240,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">On her first day at the hyperbaric clinic, Sarah met nurses Rachel Ayala and Melissa Kelly, who took extra\u00a0care\u00a0adding pressure to the chamber. Price was concerned about Sarah\u2019s facial fractures.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335557856&quot;:16777215,&quot;335559739&quot;:240,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u201cWe didn\u2019t want any air trapped within the fractured sinuses that could then expand, making her injuries worse,\u2019\u2019 Price said. \u201cShe had what we call a Le Fort Type 2, which is a mid-facial fracture where her head slammed into one of the rocks. We have to make sure when we have air-filled spaces that when we lessen the pressure and come back to the surface, the air can\u2019t get out because then it could cause more tissue trauma.\u2019\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_88408\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-88408\" style=\"width: 640px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-88408\" src=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2026\/02\/02102827\/UCH-Sarah-8941-web.webp\" alt=\"When Sarah tried her favorite sports after specialized frostbite treatments, she protected her toes by wearing socks with her rock-climbing shoes and using heated socks when she went snowboarding. Sarah and Kendall returned to hiking in the Collegiate Range last summer. Photo by Willie Petersen, for UCHealth\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-88408\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">When Sarah tried her favorite sports after specialized frostbite treatments, she protected her toes by wearing socks with her rock-climbing shoes and using heated socks when she went snowboarding. Sarah and Kendall returned to hiking in the Collegiate Range last summer. Photo by Willie Petersen, for UCHealth.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2><strong>A long healing journey with skin grafts, dozens of treatments and family support<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">All went well, and Ayala went out to the waiting room to assure Sarah\u2019s parents and Kendall that she could proceed with treatment.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335557856&quot;:16777215,&quot;335559739&quot;:240,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u201cI was treated that Wednesday, and we had Thursday off for Thanksgiving, and the team (Rachel and Melissa) came in that Friday,\u00a0Saturday\u00a0and Sunday because the continued treatment was\u00a0really important. They volunteered to come in over the\u00a0holiday,\u2019\u2019 Sarah said.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335557856&quot;:16777215,&quot;335559739&quot;:240,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">Ayala said she and Kelly never gave it a second thought.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335557856&quot;:16777215,&quot;335559739&quot;:240,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u201cOne look at her, and our decision was immediate.\u00a0We\u2019re\u00a0coming\u00a0in,\u2019\u2019\u00a0Ayala said.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335557856&quot;:16777215,&quot;335559739&quot;:240,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">With that, Sarah began the first of 30 sessions in the hyperbaric chamber for frostbite, followed by 15 skin grafts in the wound care center applied by\u202f<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/provider\/ava-j-roberts-orthopedic-surgery\/\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">Dr. Ava Roberts<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u202fand an\u00a0additional\u00a040 hyperbaric treatments to stimulate healing of the skin grafts, made of stem cells from placenta.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335557856&quot;:16777215,&quot;335559739&quot;:240,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">Unable to walk without severe pain, Sarah used a\u00a0wheelchair,\u00a0and her brothers and father carried her to the bathroom and to a car. At home, her father would spend hours cleaning her wounds.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335557856&quot;:16777215,&quot;335559739&quot;:240,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u201cMy brothers would distract me, and my father was doing my wound care from the beginning. He would do it twice a day, and sometimes it took a couple of hours because he was so diligent for each\u00a0treatment,\u2019\u2019 Sarah said.<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_88414\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-88414\" style=\"width: 640px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-88414\" src=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2026\/02\/02104042\/uch-Sarah-8234-web.webp\" alt=\"After Sarah finished hyperbaric oxygen therapy, her doctor at UCHealth Memorial Hospital Central told her that the only thing holding her back would be herself. She and Kendall have returned to all of the outdoor activities they love. Photo by Willie Petersen, for UCHealth.\" width=\"640\" height=\"450\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-88414\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">After Sarah finished hyperbaric oxygen therapy, her doctor at UCHealth Memorial Hospital Central told her that the only thing holding her back would be herself. She and Kendall have returned to all of the outdoor activities they love. Photo by Willie Petersen, for UCHealth.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2><strong>Treating severe frostbite with hyperbaric oxygen therapy<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">Going into the hyperbaric chamber became second nature to her.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335557856&quot;:16777215,&quot;335559739&quot;:240,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u201cI describe it to friends as going in a clear tube water slide. And you just get slid in, and it is also combined with\u00a0diving and swimming\u00a0and pressure, like a change in altitude when going to the mountains.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335557856&quot;:16777215,&quot;335559739&quot;:240,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u201cIt is not\u00a0very different\u00a0than being outside of it. You get in, and the pressure changes, and you notice it.\u00a0It\u2019s\u00a0like going up in the mountains,\u2019\u2019 she said.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335557856&quot;:16777215,&quot;335559739&quot;:240,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">Each week, Price and his hyperbaric team took photographs of Sarah\u2019s\u00a0feet, creating a picture story of progressive healing. More than three years after the accident, Sarah\u00a0remains\u00a0overwhelmed with gratitude. She\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0break her neck or\u00a0injure\u00a0her spine in the fall. She\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0die. Once facing amputation, she kept all her toes.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335557856&quot;:16777215,&quot;335559739&quot;:240,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u201cHonestly, it\u2019s unreal,\u2019\u2019 she said. \u201cIt has just been an incredible experience, and\u00a0I\u2019m\u00a0just very thankful.\u00a0It\u2019s\u00a0what I keep going back to because it is hard to believe, but\u00a0I have\u00a0trust in\u00a0them. A huge part of it has been the people;\u00a0I\u2019ve\u00a0just been\u00a0really grateful\u00a0for the team around me. They are like\u00a0family\u00a0now. One of the doctors came in and said, \u2018Oh, so\u00a0you\u2019ve\u00a0been here since November? You should be telling me how this goes.\u2019\u00a0They\u2019re\u00a0like family to you.\u2019\u2019<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335557856&quot;:16777215,&quot;335559739&quot;:240,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_70252\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-70252\" style=\"width: 400px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-70252\" src=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2023\/06\/07130824\/Delicate-arches-Moabweb.webp\" alt=\"Sarah and Kendall posed for a photo in Moab, Utah. A few minutes earlier, Kendall asked Sarah to marry him. Photo courtesy of Sarah Westhoff.\" width=\"400\" height=\"485\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-70252\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sarah and Kendall posed for a photo in Moab, Utah. A few minutes earlier, Kendall asked Sarah to marry him. Photo courtesy of Sarah Westhoff.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2><strong>Returning to the outdoors with creativity and determination<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">In May of 2023, Sarah was well enough to return to the outdoors, albeit slowly. She and Kendall took a trip to Moab, Utah, and camped on Porcupine Ridge East of Moab.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335557856&quot;:16777215,&quot;335559739&quot;:240,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">One morning, they awoke and huddled together to watch\u00a0a beautiful\u00a0sunrise.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335557856&quot;:16777215,&quot;335559739&quot;:240,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">Kendall wanted to take a selfie together, and Sarah implored him to take a picture of the red-rock landscape. After all, she was still in her pajamas, a\u00a0hoodie\u00a0and a hat.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335557856&quot;:16777215,&quot;335559739&quot;:240,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">Sarah removed her hat and fixed her hair a bit. He started to record a video and then got down on one knee.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335557856&quot;:16777215,&quot;335559739&quot;:240,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u201cWill you marry me?\u2019\u2019\u00a0he\u00a0asked.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335557856&quot;:16777215,&quot;335559739&quot;:240,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">Her answer: \u201cYES!\u2019\u2019<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335557856&quot;:16777215,&quot;335559739&quot;:240,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Love, marriage and new life after severe frostbite<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335557856&quot;:16777215,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Sarah\u00a0finished\u00a0her\u00a0treatments\u00a0at Memorial Hospital Central in June\u00a0of\u00a02023 and moved back to her Denver apartment the next month.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:96,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Sarah\u00a0quickly returned to many of the activities she had\u00a0put on hold during her recovery \u2013 recreational\u00a0soccer,\u00a0basketball, rock climbing and even snowboarding \u2013 but often with\u00a0a creative\u00a0accommodation.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:96,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u201cThe doctor told me, \u2018Just get back to your life,\u2019\u201d she said. \u201cHe told me that the only thing holding me back would be me.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_88409\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-88409\" style=\"width: 640px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-88409\" src=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2026\/02\/02103138\/UCH-Sarah-8808-web.webp\" alt=\"\u201cIt\u2019s hard to believe it happened,\u201d Sarah said of her fall on Mount Yale in November of 2022. Thanks to treatments for severe frostbite, Sarah said her life is &quot;like normal&quot; now. Photo by Willie Petersen, for UCHealth.\" width=\"640\" height=\"450\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-88409\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">\u201cIt\u2019s hard to believe it happened,\u201d Sarah said of her fall on Mount Yale in November of 2022. Thanks to treatments for severe frostbite, Sarah said her life is &#8220;like normal&#8221; now. Photo by Willie Petersen, for UCHealth.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">When Sarah started rock climbing again, she initially wore climbing shoes with socks to protect her toes. When winter arrived, she went snowboarding and wore heated socks to keep her toes\u00a0warm.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:96,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Then, on Dec. 9, 2023, she and Kendall were married.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:96,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">With her wedding gown,\u00a0Sarah\u00a0wore\u00a0custom\u00a0white\u00a0canvas\u00a0sneakers, with pearls\u00a0along the top and white ribbon\u00a0laces. On one sneaker, sparkly gold paint announced \u201cMrs.\u00a0Westhoff.\u201d The\u00a0wedding date in gold paint adorned\u00a0the other\u00a0sneaker.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:96,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Then, more good news brought more healing.<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_88410\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-88410\" style=\"width: 640px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-88410\" src=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2026\/02\/02103230\/UCH-Sarah-9196-web.webp\" alt=\"Sarah and Kendall got married in December 2023 and welcomed their baby girl, Maria, in November 2024. Photo by Willie Petersen, for UCHealth.\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-88410\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sarah and Kendall got married in December 2023 and welcomed their baby girl, Maria, in November 2024. Photo by Willie Petersen, for UCHealth.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Sarah and Kendall were thrilled when she became pregnant in early 2024. There was a surprise side effect. The increased blood flow during pregnancy helped Sarah\u2019s feet heal even more. She now rock climbs regularly and plays in a co-ed basketball league. In January, she and Kendall went skiing in Idaho \u2013 no heated socks this time.\u00a0She\u2019s\u00a0re-learning how to ski after switching from skiing to snowboarding in fourth grade.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:96,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">On Nov. 4, 2024,\u00a0Sarah and Kendall welcomed their baby girl,\u00a0Maria.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:96,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Last summer, Sarah and Kendall traveled\u00a0to Buena Vista\u00a0to\u00a0climb\u00a0once again\u00a0in the nearby Collegiate Peaks of\u00a0the Sawatch Range.\u00a0It was their first time back since the accident.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:96,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">As Sarah climbed close to the summit, she looked out to the field of\u00a0rocks\u00a0on\u00a0Yale where she had fallen. Kendall\u00a0stood\u00a0by her side.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:96,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">So much has changed since that fateful day.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:96,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u201cIt\u2019s hard to believe it happened,\u201d she said. \u201cMy life is like normal.\u201d<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:96,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:96,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\"> <em><a class=\"gtm_today_site\" href=\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/author\/jbean\/\">Joanna Bean<\/a>\u00a0contributed to this story.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Sarah and Kendall Westhoff set off for a late-fall ascent of\u202fMount Yale,\u00a0one of\u00a0Colorado\u2019s famous 14ers\u00a0and\u00a0a jewel in\u00a0the\u00a0Collegiate\u00a0Range,\u00a0but\u00a0decided to turn around before they reached the summit.\u00a0 As daylight began to fade on that Friday before Thanksgiving, the unthinkable happened.\u00a0 Sarah slipped and tumbled 500 feet down a snow field, finally coming to a stop in a [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":20,"featured_media":88402,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[4293,1511],"class_list":["post-70244","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-stories","tag-uchealth-burn-and-frostbite-center","tag-uchealth-memorial-hospital"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.2 (Yoast SEO v27.2) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Treating severe frostbite after 500-foot fall and night on Colorado 14er - UCHealth Today<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Treating severe frostbite with a hyperbaric chamber helped Sarah recover after her 500\u2011foot fall and night on Mount Yale.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/frigid-night-on-mount-yale-treating-severe-frostbite-in-hyperbaric-chamber\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"After falling 500 feet, she survived a frigid night on a mountainside. 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