A mountain climber has been airlifted to a Calgary hospital after falling about 20 metres on a trail near Lac Des Arcs Campground Friday afternoon, paramedics said in a release.

EMS responded to Heart Creek Trail — which is about 17 kilometres east of Canmore — around 3 p.m.

A paramedic and conservation officer hiked for about 20 minutes to reach the injured man in a back country area where he was stabilized.

STAR-1 (Calgary) has been dispatched for a scene call emergency in the Exshaw, AB area. —@STARSambulance

The man — believed to be in his 30s — was extricated by helicopter to a nearby parking lot where EMS and STARS Air Ambulance took him to Foothills hospital in potentially life-threatening condition with soft-tissue and internal injuries.

It's unknown what caused the fall or if the climber was using safety equipment, EMS said.