Interview with the passenger on the local TV stations (pilot still
in serious condition at the Vail hospital). They were flying
from WY to Leadville, plans were to fly over Copper Mtn (about
20-30 miles east of Vail) to check out a motorcycle rally. Pax
said that they realized they were too low and the valley too
narrow to get out. Aircraft landed in a clearing on the
side of the hills (not a flat area, but less steep than most
of the stuff other than the golf course and the road).

I return to my original comment -- why over the mountains
in a single engine aircraft with no easy out?