A 26-year-old woman died after falling about 500 feet while free-solo climbing at the Rocky Mountain National Park Sunday, park officials said.
The woman’s climbing partner, a 27-year-old man, called park rangers after she fell, and Rocky Mountain National Park Search and Rescue Team members located him Sunday night, Rocky Mountain National Park officials said in a news release Monday.
The two climbers, who are from Boulder, Colorado, were climbing on the Four Aces of Blitzen Ridge, which is located on Ypsilon Mountain on the east side of the park. The man was not injured, park officials said.
“Because of his location, the park requested assistance from a Colorado Air National Guard helicopter from Buckley Air Force Base to extricate the male climbing partner via a hoist operation, using a winch operated cable,” park officials said in the release.
Free solo climbing is when a person climbs without ropes or other protective equipment.
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Rescue team recovered victim’s body Monday morning
On Monday morning, the rescue team hiked to the area above Ypsilon Lake and recovered the victim’s body via a helicopter long-line, park officials said.
Northern Colorado Interagency Helitak transported the victim’s body to a helicopter landing spot in the Upper Beaver Meadows area of the park where responders took her body to the Larimer County Coroner/Medical Examiner’s Office to determine the cause of death.
“The woman’s name will be released after next of kin are notified,” park officials said.
The Colorado Air National Guard, Rocky Mountain Rescue Group, Northern Colorado Helitak and a Flight for Life Air Ambulance assisted in the recovery.
Second death in park this year, officials say
On July 2, a man fell into the water at West Creek Falls in the park’s northeast corner and drowned.
In March 2013, a 43-year-old was killed in an avalanche on the north slope of Ypsilon Mountain.
Contributing: Miles Blumhardt, Fort Collins Coloradoan
