1 climber dead after rock fall, avalanche in Rocky Mountain National Park
Editor's note: This story was updated Monday morning with additional information from Rocky Mountain National Park.
One of three climbers caught in a Sunday morning rock fall and avalanche in Rocky Mountain National Park died, the park announced late Sunday night.
The rock fall and avalanche, which happened near the Dreamweaver Couloir on Mount Meeker, were reported about 9 a.m. Sunday, according to a previous park news release. Three climbers were involved in the incident, which officials say was witnessed by additional climbers in that area.
Rocky Mountain National Park Search and Rescue called on a Colorado National Guard helicopter from Buckley Air Force Base to rescue one of the climbers, a male, "due to the location and severity of injuries," the park said in a Sunday afternoon news release.
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Rescuers faced winter-like weather conditions as they worked in terrain above 11,500 feet in elevation, the park said in a news release.
The man was extricated about 2 p.m. during a break in the weather and flown to Upper Beaver Meadows, from where he was flown to UCHealth Medical Center of the Rockies via a Colorado Med Evac air ambulance.
A female climber who suffered minor injuries stayed on scene until about 4:15 p.m., when she was flown to Upper Beaver Meadows and taken to get additional medical care.
Searchers located the body of the third climber, a male, about 5:15 p.m. Sunday but as of Sunday night's news release had not recovered his body due to winter-like weather conditions in the area. His body was located by searchers utilizing a RECCO device and probing in the debris, the park said.
Additional information on the climbers, including their ages and hometowns, has not been released.
Rocky Mountain National Park Search and Rescue was aided by multiple agencies during Sunday's search, including: Colorado Search and Rescue Association, Flight for Life, Rocky Mountain Rescue Group, Front Range Rescue Dogs, Colorado National Guard and Med Evac.
Elsewhere in the park, snow, ice and poor visibility caused off and on closures of portions of Trail Ridge Road Sunday.
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Sarah Kyle is a content coach at the Coloradoan. Contact her at sarahkyle@coloradoan.com. Support her work and that of other Coloradoan journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today.
This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Climber dead after rock fall in Rocky Mountain National Park
