Climber Found Dead on Mountain, Requiring Specialized Helicopter to Retrieve Body from 13,200 Feet
Dara Korn
Updated May 23, 2026
UPDATE: SATURDAY 5/23/2026 12:50 p.m.
(MANITOU SPRINGS, Colo.) — The El Paso County Sheriff’s Office (EPSO) announced that the Manitou Springs Incline has reopened following the medical response and rescue attempt for a person experiencing breathing problems. EPSO reported that despite efforts, the person died.
The City of Manitou Springs Government issued the “all-clear” for the incline, stating that it had reopened earlier than was reported.
Both EPSO and the City offered thanks to those who assisted during the emergency.
PREVIOUS HEADLINE: Manitou Springs Incline closes due to medical emergency
SATURDAY 5/23/2026 10:18 a.m.
The Manitou Springs Incline is temporarily closed as first responders help a person experiencing a medical emergency, according to an alert posted to social media by the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office (EPSO) at around 10 a.m. on Saturday, May 23.
EPSO reported that the incline is shut down until further notice during law enforcement and first responder activity while they assist the person with the medical emergency.
Those currently on the incline are asked to avoid the area near the 1,000-step rest area.
The City of Manitou Springs Government stated that the closure is estimated to last for about 8 hours.
Images of a helicopter with a hoist capability brought in from Utah for the recovery operation. Credit: Mountain Rescue Aspen
NEED TO KNOW
- A missing hiker was found dead more than 13,000 feet up a mountain in Pitkin County, Colo., on Sept. 8
- Officials were notified about the overdue climber six days earlier, but had to wait for a specialized helicopter for the recovery mission
- Following the person’s death, authorities urged hikers to take precautions in the backcountry
The body of a missing hiker was found on a Colorado mountain. Rescue crews spent hours preparing for the complicated operation to retrieve the victim from an elevation of more than 13,000 feet.
The search began on Wednesday, Sept. 2, when authorities were informed about an overdue climber believed to be in the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness in Pitkin County, the Pitkin County Sheriff’s Office said in an alert. Originally, the hiker’s planned route was unknown.
After officers began an investigation, they located information and notes in the person’s rental vehicle indicating they planned to climb the Maroon Bells—the two popular and often-photographed 14,000-foot peaks, Maroon Peak and North Maroon Peak.
By the morning of Thursday, Sept. 3, Mountain Rescue Aspen and CareFlight of the Rockies worked together to perform an aerial search of the Maroon Bells. That’s when “the climber was located deceased and tentatively identified in very technical and difficult terrain to access,” the sheriff’s office said.
A helicopter airborne during the recovery. Credit: Mountain Rescue Aspen
Officials notified the hiker’s family and planned the recovery operation for Tuesday, Sept. 8; the hiker has not been publicly identified. As part of the recovery effort, Maroon Peak was closed all day on Tuesday, from midnight to 11:59 p.m. local time, the U.S. Forest Service announced.
Mountain Rescue Aspen (MRA) Chief Rescue Leader Jeff Edelson told The Aspen Times that rescue crews wanted to avoid closing the much-visited area during the Labor Day weekend and needed enough time to coordinate necessary air resources.
The organization was preparing for a challenging recovery mission, which also required closing Maroon Peak.
Maroon Peak, which stands at 13,200 feet tall. Credit: Mountain Rescue Aspen
“There’s significant fall and rockfall hazard in that area, which is why we need to close so that they can do it safely,” Edelson told the Times. The mission began shortly after midnight on Tuesday, as crews worked to reach and secure the area, MRA said in a statement. At dawn, Flight for Life Colorado inserted three MRA technical climbers on the south rim of the mountain, who then spent an hour climbing to reach an area on the peak 1,000 feet above the victim.
From there, the rescue team rappelled down to the deceased climber. A helicopter capable of a long-line extrication was brought in from Salt Lake City to extract the hiker from the site to T Lazy 7 Ranch, where the local coroner was located. By Tuesday at 9:45 a.m. local time, the victim was “recovered from steep, unstable terrain at an elevation of approximately 13,200 feet,” MRA said. Flight for Life Colorado then brought the three rescue climbers down from the mountain.
A rescue helicopter flying over the Colorado mountains. Credit: Mountain Rescue Aspen
Official identification of the deceased hiker is pending with the Pitkin County Coroner’s Office. The agency and the Pitkin County Sheriff’s Office did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s requests for additional comment.
Following the tragedy, the MRA and sheriff’s office issued a joint statement warning hikers traveling in the backcountry to take safety precautions.
They urged such climbers to “leave a detailed itinerary with a trusted person before departing, including the intended route, expected return time, and contingency plans,” the agencies said.
“Backcountry travelers should also carry appropriate equipment, be prepared for rapidly changing mountain conditions, and carry a reliable two-way satellite communication device when traveling in areas without cellular service,” they added.
NEED TO KNOW
- A climber fell on the north face of Castle Peak in Colorado during Labor Day weekend
- Mountain Rescue Aspen and Flight for Life worked together to recover the climber in a challenging operation
- Officials urged backcountry travelers to prepare thoroughly and know their limits before outdoor excursions
A climber died after falling from Castle Peak, a 14,000-foot mountain in Colorado, during Labor Day weekend.
On Sunday, Sept. 6, the Gunnison County Sheriff’s Office was notified of a fallen climber on the north face of Castle Peak, south of Aspen, Colorado, according to a press release from Mountain Rescue Aspen. The Gunnison County Sheriff’s Office asked for assistance from the Pitkin County Sheriff’s Office at 12:41 p.m., due to the location and its proximity to the incident.
Mountain Rescue Aspen deployed team members via off-highway vehicles to the upper Montezuma parking lot while Flight for Life located the climber from the air.
Photo from mission to recover fallen climber. Credit: Mountain Rescue Aspen/Facebook
Once a Flight for Life team spotted the climber, they returned to Aspen to transport additional Mountain Rescue Aspen team members to the area.
"Mountain Rescue Aspen personnel reached the climber at approximately 3:58 p.m. and determined the individual had sustained injuries that were not survivable," Mountain Rescue Aspen said.
The climber, whose identity was not released, was evacuated from the mountain using a technical lowering system.
The mission required 21 members, all of whom were out of the field at 8:14 p.m., according to Mountain Rescue Aspen’s press release.
Mountain Rescue Aspen and the Pitkin County Sheriff’s Office encouraged backcountry travelers to prepare for their outing, familiarize themselves with their route and conditions, and understand the limits of their experience and abilities.
While Castle Peak is “considered one of the easier peaks in our range to climb,” Edelson told The Aspen Times, he called the tragedy “a good example that accidents can happen anywhere, and people need to be careful.”
Photo from mission to recover fallen climber. Credit: Mountain Rescue Aspen/Facebook
The Pitkin County Sheriff’s Office also thanked the all-volunteer team members of Mountain Rescue Aspen and Flight for Life for their role in the mission.