A paraglider crash near Wonderland Lake on Saturday afternoon critically injured the pilot, who was later airlifted to a Denver-area hospital.

Boulder dispatch began receiving calls at about 2:45 p.m. that a paraglider had crashed west of Wonderland Lake in north Boulder, and personnel responded to find the pilot alive but unconcious and badly hurt, according to a news release.

The crash happened halfway between Spring Valley Road and Pine Needle Road east of a ridgeline on steep terrain accessible only by foot. Rescuers hiked about a half mile to the crash site and reached the pilot shortly before 3 p.m.

Witness Ronald Zeiler said he was walking in an area west of Wonderland Lake on Saturday when he heard what he described as a “flapping noise” and he looked up and saw the glider.

“When I looked up, I saw him smash into a rock cliff at the top of a ridge,” Zeiler said. “I called 911 and they sent out a team.”

Zeiler said another paraglider landed near the first one, and a person ran over to the one that crashed. He added that about 16 rescue personnel arrived on the scene and worked on the person for about a half an hour and left with the person at about 4:20 p.m.

“It is so far away, I couldnt’ see what happened to the person,” he said.

Rescuers evacuated the man, who is believed to be in his 50s, via technical rescue, and he has since been flown to St. Anthony’s Hospital, a level one trauma center in Lakewood. The rescue and evacuation took about an hour after responders reached the pilot.

The extent of the pilot’s injuries are not currently known, but he did not regain consciousness during the rescue and was transported in critical condition. His injuries are being called life-threatening.

The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board have been notified of the crash. The cause of the crash is not currently known.

Emergency personnel from Boulder Mountain Fire District, Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks, American Medical Response and the Rocky Mountain Rescue Group, responded to the scene along with sheriff’s deputies.

John Bear 303-473-1355, bearj@dailcamera.com or twitter.com/johnbearwithme