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Climber Falls 200 Feet To Death During Maroon Peak Descent

14ers.com

 

Rescue personnel are working to retrieve the body of a man who fell to his death on a Colorado peak.

The Aspen Daily News reports the 61-year-old climber fell about 200 feet (61 meters) Wednesday on South Maroon Peak in the Elk Mountains near Aspen.

 

 

Authorities declined to identify the man beyond saying he was not an Aspen-area resident.

Authorities say the man climbed to the peak's summit at 14,163 feet (4,317 meters) with two other men Wednesday.

Officials say he fell at about 12,600 feet (3,840 meters) during a descent along the peak's standard route, where the terrain is steep and there is still a considerable amount of snow.

The Pitkin County Sheriff's Office and Mountain Rescue Aspen are involved in the recovery effort.

 

Contributor Christin Kay is passionate about the rich variety of arts, cultural experiences and stories in the Roaring Fork Valley. She has been a devotee of public radio her whole life. Christin is a veteran of Aspen Public Radio, serving as producer, reporter and interim news director.
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