Steamboat Pilot & Today

Steamboat Springs — A Steamboat Springs doctor was released from a Grand Junction hospital Monday after a motorcycle landed on him in a Sunday afternoon accident in Moffat County.

Dr. Michael Sisk suffered a back injury in the motorcycle accident that occurred in the Sandwash Basin.

Because of the injury, Sisk was transported from the area to St. Mary's Hospital via a helicopter where he was admitted at about 3:30 p.m.

Sisk, 36, was released from the hospital Monday morning, said Jeff Kirtland, a hospital spokesman.

Sisk was injured after he crashed on his 2003 Yamaha YZ 426 motorcycle after 1 p.m. on Bureau of Land Management Road 2097, which is off of Moffat County Road 67.

"Luckily the injuries he suffered were minor," said Colorado State Trooper Jim Womack, who investigated the accident.

Sisk, an orthopedic surgeon, suffered the injury while he was on an outing with a group of friends, Womack said.

The group was jumping their motorcycles over a hill when the accident occurred.

"It is a pretty good-sized hill," Womack said. "It can create a pretty big jump."

Womack said Sisk went over the hill, but landed the motorcycle to far on its front tire, which catapulted Sisk over the handlebars.

"The bike then landed on top of him," Womack said.

Initially, Sisk lost all feeling in his lower body and diagnosed himself with possible internal bleeding. A friend called authorities by using a cellular phone at about 1:15 p.m.

Emergency personnel that responded to the scene northwest of Maybell included officials from the Moffat County Sheriff's Office and volunteers from the ambulance, fire and rescue services in Maybell.

Officials had to carry Sisk to an area where he could be loaded into a flight service helicopter that flew to the area from Grand Junction.

Sisk has been living in Steamboat Springs since the summer of 1999. He shares a private practice, Orthopedics of Steamboat Springs, with Eric Verploeg.

The Rifle native also works at The Memorial Hospital in Craig.

Sisk also is a saddle bronc rider and won the 28th Annual Bud Light Cowboy Downhill at the Steamboat Ski Area in January.