Climber Falls, Dies On Capitol Peak
ASPEN, Colo. (CBS4) - A climber fell from an iconic feature of a Colorado 14er on Sunday, suffering fatal injuries.
The unidentified climber's body was left below the "Knife Edge" on Capitol Peak until better weather provides search and rescue teams a safe opportunity to recover it.
A news release from the Pitkin County Sheriff's Office says the department was notified at 8:20 a.m. by a hiker ascending the peak. That hiker told authorities that another hiker in a group ahead of his fell off the east side of Capitol while approaching the "Knife Edge."
Eventually, a Flight For Life helicopter dropped rescuers on the mountain. They determined "that the hiker had injuries that were not compatible with life," according to PCSO's news release.
Wednesday has been set as a tentative date for recovery.
Sunday's is the second fatality on 14,131-foot Capitol Peak in less than a month. Jake Lord, 25, of Parker, died ascending a couloir the morning of July 15th.
A survery of climbers on 14ers.com ranks Capitol as the most difficult 14er in the state.
