This event was recorded on October 17, 2026 at TACAW, produced by Kaya Williams, in partnership with Aspen Public Radio.
Airways, breathing, circulation — and frostbite: Do you know the protocol for a medical emergency in the backcountry? At Aspen Public Radio’s third annual Backcountry Symposium at TACAW, Aspen Valley Health’s trauma medical director and chief of medical staff Dr. Christopher Roseberry offered a primer on field trauma evaluations, including tactics to stop bleeding, address spinal injuries and more. Dr. Roseberry is also a physician for the U.S. Ski Team and a medical-crew volunteer for cycling and ski races.
Dr. Chris Roseberry has been a surgeon at Aspen Valley Health (AVH) since 2018, and he serves as the Trauma Medical Director and Chief of Medical Staff. He practices a full range of general surgery with a focus in both trauma surgery and gastrointestinal surgery. He helped to develop the robotics program at AVH. He is also a team physician for the US Ski Team. Previously, Dr. Roseberry was the Chief of Surgery and Co-Chair of Endoscopy at Exeter Hospital in Exeter, New Hampshire. Dr. Roseberry was a surgeon in the Air Force, serving active duty at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas, and Joint Base Andrews in Washington, D.C. He was on the medical team traveling with members of Congress and the President of the United States. He has taught trauma and disaster relief to NATO organizations, and he was a first responder to the Pentagon disaster on 9/11. Dr. Roseberry graduated from Mount Union College with a Bachelor of Science in Biology in 1989, and then from Georgetown University School of Medicine in 1993. During that time, he also worked at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland. He is an avid cyclist and skier and volunteers medical coverage for cycling and ski races. He and his family love living in the mountains and the many outdoors opportunities that are available here.
About the Backcountry Symposium
Aspen Public Radio and The Arts Campus at Willits (TACAW) collaborate on this annual event for backcountry safety, preparedness and appreciation. The third annual event, held Oct. 17, featured both hands-on workshops and traditional talks and panels. Additional presentations from this and past events are archived here.