Authorities reported that a Colorado woman lost her life on Sunday after falling approximately 500 feet while engaging in free-solo climbing on a ridge at Rocky Mountain National Park. The National Park Service released information on Monday, revealing that the 26-year-old climber, whose identity remains undisclosed, met her untimely demise while ascending the Four Aces of Blitzen Ridge on Ypsilon Mountain, located on the eastern side of the park.
Free-soloing is a style of climbing that involves forgoing the use of ropes, harnesses, and protective equipment, relying solely on physical strength, climbing skill, and mental resilience to avoid fatal falls, as defined in the NPS glossary.
The woman’s climbing partner, a 27-year-old male from Boulder, who also remains unidentified, immediately alerted park rangers about her fall. The federal agency stated that on Sunday night, the park’s search and rescue team successfully located the man and, with the assistance of the California Air National Guard, employed a helicopter to rescue him by hoisting him to safety. Fortunately, the man did not sustain any injuries.
On Monday morning, members of the park’s search and rescue team recovered the woman’s body. The cause of her death will be determined by the Larimer County Medical Examiner’s Office. The NPS will release the woman’s identity once her family has been notified.
This unfortunate incident marks the second fatality at Rocky Mountain National Park this month. On July 2, an unidentified 25-year-old man from Rhode Island tragically lost his life after falling and being submerged in water at West Creek Falls on the park’s eastern side.
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As of Wednesday morning, a park representative could not be reached for immediate comment.
