Woman plummets 900ft to her death hiking on Capitol Peak in Colorado while other hikers watch helplessly
PITKIN COUNTY, COLORADO: A Denver woman lost her life after falling 900ft from the 52nd highest mountain in North America, Capitol Peak. A group of hikers witnessed the fall and immediately called 911 for help. Right before 8 am, police were informed of a lifeless woman found below the summit in Pitkin County, Colorado. The body was flown out of Pierre Lakes Basin to Cow Camp.
As per officials, the witness who called, informed them that the woman was trying to hold on to a rock that gave out, which led to her tragic death. The witness originally thought the woman must have fallen 1,200-1,500 ft. However, cops confirmed that she fell 900ft. Mountain Rescue Aspen crews flew in to locate the woman. One team was flown to K2 to analyze the situation and another team was flown to Pierre Lakes Basin. As per The Sun, the police sais, "At 2.47 pm the woman’s body was flown out of Pierre Lakes Basin to Cow Camp, which is situated approximately seven miles up Capitol Creek Road, and turned over to the Pitkin County Coroner for further investigation." The Pitkin County Coroner's Office will identify the woman and notify her next of kin, and until then her identity will not be revealed. Authorities said that she fell "from the route that connects the knife edge to the Capitol Peak summit down to Pierre Lakes Basin."
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'Not an isolated incident'
This is not an isolated incident. Earlier, as many as five climbers lost their lives at the same place. In fact, in 2021, a hiker’s body was left as is on the mountain as the rescuer was severely injured while trying to recover his body. Due to this, Pitkin County Sheriff's Chief Deputy Parker Lathrop told CBS News, Colorado, "We're trying to get people to slow down a little bit. This should be the crown jewel, and if you're not ready for it, if your gut tells you to stop, the mountain will still be there (next time)."
Incidents like these prompted officials to warn climbers about the dangers of hiking in the Elk Mountains. The rescue team and Sherrif’s office said, "The Elk Mountains are treacherous and the loose, rotting terrain can lead to unstable conditions that can cause serious injuries or death."
Capitol Peak is situated in the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness area at an elevation of 14,137ft, making it one of the most difficult mountains to hike. Officials often have said that Capitol Peak is considered one of Colorado's most difficult mountains to climb with extreme exposure and loose, crumbling rock.
