Porzak, known for Eagle County water work, recovering after fall

VAIL, Colorado – Glenn Porzak, a noted water attorney who has worked for years with Eagle County governments and Vail Resorts, remained in the intensive care unit of a Denver hospital Friday after a climbing accident last week.

He was expected to be transferred out of the intensive care unit to a normal hospital room Friday or today, said Mike Browning, a partner at Porzak’s Boulder law firm, Porzak, Browning and Bushong.

“He’s stable, and all signs point to a full recovery, but it will be a long and slow process,” Browning said.

Porzak, 64, sustained a broken pelvis, nine broken ribs and lots of lacerations in the fall, Browning said.

Porzak was near Brainard Lakes in the Indian Peaks Wilderness last Saturday when a rock he was climbing gave way, causing him to fall 60 to 70 feet, according to the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office. Porzak was climbing with his son, Austin, and Austin’s friend, Robert Petrowsky, of Leadville.

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Rescuers evacuated Glenn Porzak in a litter 1,200 feet down 60 degree scree field to a landing zone, where a helicopter lifted him out of the backcountry to St. Anthony’s Central Hospital in Denver.

All three of the climbers had extensive climbing experience. Glenn Porzak is one of approximately 115 people to climb the “Seven Summits,” the highest mountains on the seven continents.

Porzak handles all water rights matters for the Eagle River Water and Sanitation District, the Upper Eagle River Water Authority and the Eagle Park Reservoir Co. He is also the key water lawyer for Vail Resorts.

He negotiated a historic 2007 water settlement between local water agencies and Denver Water that resulted in the abandonment of most of Denver’s water rights in Eagle County.

Edward Stoner can be reached at 970-748-2929 or estoner@vaildaily.com.