A Colorado man has died in an apparent climbing accident near the Keyhole on Longs Peak in Rocky Mountain National Park/NPS file photo
A Colorado man apparently trying to summit Longs Peak in Rocky Mountain National Park has been killed in what appears to have been a fall of about 1,000 feet, according to park officials.
The park received a report Tuesday morning that the 24-year-old Fort Collins man, whose name was not immediately released, was overdue from a trip in the Longs Peak area. He had left at approximately 2 a.m. on Monday and was expected at work at 4 p.m. Tuesday. An investigation revealed he likely planned to travel along the Keyhole Route, a park release said.
Rangers searched the area and located the man's body at approximately 3:30 p.m. Tuesday about 1,000 feet below the Keyhole Route down the Trough. Weather prevented recovery efforts Tuesday. Those operations were to resume when weather and conditions allow.
Comments
That's too bad. I climbed up to Chasm Lake, below Long's Peak, in 2013. It's a beautiful area (sorry I can't think of a more eloquent and evocative description). Despite the accident, the hiker was wise to go at 2 a.m. That way, as I understand it from talking to another hiker who was doing the same thing, you should be able to reach the peak in the morning and be back at the trailhead the same day, and before thunderstorms roll in. The alternative is to lug in all of one's heavy backpacking equipment, because safety dictates that you have to stay out there at least one night.