You are here

Colorado Man Dies In Rocky Mountain National Park Backcountry

Share

A Colorado man who turned back rather than continue toward the roof of Rocky Mountain National Park with two friends has been found dead in the park.

Officials said the body of the 39-year-old from Thornton, Colorado, was recovered Sunday in the Longs Peak area, about halfway up "The Loft," an area between Longs Peak and Mount Meeker in the park.

Park spokeswoman Kyle Patterson said the man was last seen at the top of The Loft at approximately 9:30 a.m. Saturday. He was winter mountaineering with two acquaintances when he reportedly decided to descend to return to the Longs Peak Trailhead, she said. The three men had left the Longs Peak Trailhead Saturday at 2:30 a.m. with the intent to summit Longs Peak.

When the other two men arrived back at the Longs Peak Trailhead later in the day, the third man’s vehicle was still in the parking area. They contacted park rangers at 6:15 p.m. to report the third member of their party was overdue.

An investigation into the fatality was ongoing. The man’s body was recovered by a long line helicopter operation at 6:30 p.m. Sunday and transferred to the Boulder County Coroner’s Office. His name will be released when next of kin are notified.

Add comment

CAPTCHA

This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.

Image CAPTCHA
Enter the characters shown in the image.

The Essential RVing Guide

The Essential RVing Guide to the National Parks

The National Parks RVing Guide, aka the Essential RVing Guide To The National Parks, is the definitive guide for RVers seeking information on campgrounds in the National Park System where they can park their rigs. It's available for free for both iPhones and Android models.

This app is packed with RVing specific details on more than 250 campgrounds in more than 70 parks.

You'll also find stories about RVing in the parks, some tips if you've just recently turned into an RVer, and some planning suggestions. A bonus that wasn't in the previous eBook or PDF versions of this guide are feeds of Traveler content: you'll find our latest stories as well as our most recent podcasts just a click away.

So whether you have an iPhone or an Android, download this app and start exploring the campgrounds in the National Park System where you can park your rig.