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A Denver woman fell nearly 2,000 feet to her death while trying to climb Capitol Peak in Colorado. The woman was attempting a solo climb of one of the most challenging mountains in the state when a rock she was using to pull herself up snapped, and she fell into Pierre Lakes Basin.
A witness watched in horror as she tumbled down the mountain and immediately called 911. He was able to direct first responders to the area where the woman fell.
"A team of two [Mountain Rescue Aspen] volunteers were flown to K2, a nearby 13,664-foot peak, to establish radio communications, evaluate safety, and close off the hiking trail. A team of four MRA volunteers was flown into Pierre Lakes Basin. This team hiked up to the woman's body and prepared it for extraction from the field," the Pitkin County Sheriff's Office said in a statement.
Officials warned other climbers to be careful as they try to summit the 14,131 mountain./
"The Pitkin County Sheriff's Office and Mountain Rescue Aspen would like to remind backcountry enthusiasts that the Elk Mountains are treacherous and that the loose, rotting terrain can lead to unstable conditions that can cause serious injuries or death."