On Thursday night, two rock climbers fell in Eldorado Canyon State Park in Boulder County, killing one and seriously injuring the other. The fall was estimated to be roughly 150 to 200 feet, with the climbers eventually coming to a stop against a tree.
At the time of the fall, the climbers were ascending a multi-pitch route on a feature called the Wind Tower. The specific route they were on is called Wind Ridge, a highly-rated 5.7 trad climbing route (meaning climbers must place their own protection, rather than relying solely on permanent bolts). They were starting the third pitch of the four pitch route when the incident occurred and using standard equipment at the time.
Though the climbers were not identified, the deceased climber was described as a male in his 30s and the injured climber was described as a male in his 20s.
When the fall occurred, bystanders on a different route witnessed the tragic accident and were able to get to the fallen climbers, providing an update to Rocky Mountain Rescue Group. These bystanders also had their rope ready to help rescuers, expediting the mission.
The deceased climber was pronounced dead at the scene and the injured climber was immediately evacuated via a high-angle evacuation in a litter. Ultimately, he was transported to a MedEvac helicopter and flown to Denver for medical treatment.
The cause of the accident remains under investigation. Foul play is not suspected.
Condolences go out to the family and friends of the deceased climber.
Thanks goes out to the rescue team involved in the mission, including members from the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office, Rocky Mountain Rescue Group, Mountain View Fire Protection District, American Medical Response (AMR), MedEvac, and the Boulder County Coroner’s Office. Thanks also goes out to the bystanders at the scene.
To those interested in supporting the search and rescue effort in Colorado, purchasing a CORSAR card is a great way to do it. This is not any sort of insurance card, but it does help increase the likelihood that a county is reimbursed for their search and rescue efforts, something crucial to making sure teams have the right equipment and training available.
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