{"id":17105,"date":"2026-09-09T00:00:51","date_gmt":"2026-09-09T00:00:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/?p=17105"},"modified":"2026-09-09T00:00:51","modified_gmt":"2026-09-09T00:00:51","slug":"maroon-peak-closed-after-back-to-back-colorado-14er-deaths","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/?p=17105","title":{"rendered":"Maroon Peak Closed After Back-to-Back Colorado 14er Deaths"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"article-body\">\n<p>Published September 8, 2026 04:20PM<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>The U.S. Forest Service temporarily closed all climbing access to Colorado\u2019s Maroon Peak on September 8, 2026, to recover the body of a climber who had fallen off the mountain.<\/p>\n<p>The death marked\u00a0the first of two fatal mountaineering accidents on Colorado\u2019s famed 14er summits in less than a week.<\/p>\n<p>Officials have not released the names, sex, or ages of either person.<\/p>\n<p>On September 8, authorities embarked on a recovery mission for the body of a climber who went missing six days earlier, on September 2, according to the responding agency, Mountain Rescue Aspen (MRA). To aid the recovery, the U.S. Forest Service <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"article-content-link text-brand-primary underline hover:text-brand-primary\/85 break-words overflow-wrap-anywhere underline-offset-[3px]\" rel=\"noopener\" data-afl-p=\"0\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fs.usda.gov\/r02\/whiteriver\/alerts\/maroon-peak-climbing-access-closed-sept-8?fbclid=IwY2xjawUNJ21wZG9mBWV4dG4DYWVtAjEwAGJyaWQRMWxmeGlVUVhjOFkzbkpkT0FzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEeXoSqf4kINqhXk9Zp5H7UFEOAQK6mNKLvzztDyx7_YCghK7d2vC9zFez5Y4E_aem_vMTvdbBhSI8iqkQqIjspxA\">closed climbing access<\/a> to Maroon Peak, including the standard route from West Maroon Creek and the traverse from North Maroon Peak.<\/p>\n<p><iframe class=\"fp-remove\" loading=\"lazy\" style=\"border:none;overflow:hidden\" src=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/plugins\/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fmountainrescueaspen%2Fposts%2Fpfbid02VwC1v4iwepkdwbUbjLot1X1J1qRmeuYtTcsbmi7QWEGZhbufqnueZpC8VtdZqXggl&amp;show_text=true&amp;width=500\" width=\"500\" height=\"250\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" allowfullscreen=\"\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>After the climber was reported missing on September 2, rescuers found notes in their vehicle parked at the trailhead. Based on these notes, responders conducted aerial searches in the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness, a remote alpine area that contains six peaks over 14,000 feet, including the iconic maroon-colored twin peaks known as the Maroon Bells and Snowmass Mountain.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDuring the aerial search, the climber was located deceased and tentatively identified in very technical and difficult terrain to access,\u201d MRA wrote in a <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"article-content-link text-brand-primary underline hover:text-brand-primary\/85 break-words overflow-wrap-anywhere underline-offset-[3px]\" rel=\"noopener\" data-afl-p=\"0\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/mountainrescueaspen\/posts\/pfbid0S5kJjPo7oRFGtJw7TnEgw2JvV3XBAar4zwjYEek6nRFnTmngytMPEXGtdxSmxUB4l\">statement<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2>An Eyewitness Account<\/h2>\n<p>In an unrelated incident on September 6, a second climber died after falling from the north face of Castle Peak, located about 12 miles south of Aspen. An all-volunteer team of 21 members responded on the ground and by helicopter.<\/p>\n<p>Rebecca Rees, a dental anesthesiologist, witnessed the September 6 fall while hiking with a group between Castle and Conundrum Peaks. Rees, 44, lives in a suburb of Denver and has been climbing Colorado 14ers since 2017. She said she had been on this specific climb around five times.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere had been a rockfall all day from Conundrum going into the lake, so we were used to hearing these rocks fall into the lake,\u201d she said. \u201cAt 12:25 P.M., we heard the rocks again but it was a different sound. I looked over and I saw this gentleman tumbling down the mountain. It was horrifying because it was not a fall that would be survivable.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Rees estimated that the man initially fell about 30 feet, and then continued to tumble hundreds more down the mountain. It\u2019s not clear how or why he fell, she said. Her group called emergency services, and yelled at the man, but he was unresponsive. Looking up-slope, she said they saw his sunglasses and water bottles in a debris field.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMountain Rescue Aspen personnel reached the climber at approximately 3:58 P.M.\u00a0and determined the individual had sustained injuries that were not survivable,\u201d MRA <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"article-content-link text-brand-primary underline hover:text-brand-primary\/85 break-words overflow-wrap-anywhere underline-offset-[3px]\" rel=\"noopener\" data-afl-p=\"0\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/mountainrescueaspen\/posts\/pfbid02Q8c2gCzSaWrALdwSCiFT6HjYHdCAkcVchS9nuihHf8j6odiWuTkPewTUyTDsRa2Ml?rdid=tY9TTZsd2NtRoMSo#\">wrote<\/a>. \u201cTeam members then carefully evacuated the climber from the mountain using a technical lowering system.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><iframe class=\"fp-remove\" style=\"border:none;overflow-y:hidden;background-color:white;min-width:320px;max-width:420px;width:100%;height:420px\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gaiagps.com\/public\/GRYxwqMIRzm9EOzw3ehUULZ7\/?embed=True\" seamless=\"\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h2>Colorado\u2019s Most Photographed Peaks Are Also Among Its Deadliest<\/h2>\n<p>Located in Colorado\u2019s Elk Range, the Maroon Bells are one of the most photographed destinations in the state, and encompass Maroon Peak and North Maroon Peak. The peaks have earned their nickname \u201c<a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"article-content-link text-brand-primary underline hover:text-brand-primary\/85 break-words overflow-wrap-anywhere underline-offset-[3px]\" rel=\"noopener\" data-afl-p=\"0\" href=\"https:\/\/snowbrains.com\/climber-found-dead-in-technical-terrain-near-colorados-maroon-bells\/#google_vignette\">Deadly Bells<\/a>\u201c\u2014the mountains are highly technical, dangerous, and extremely difficult, according to the nonprofit that does service work on the state\u2019s highest peaks,\u00a0<a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"article-content-link text-brand-primary underline hover:text-brand-primary\/85 break-words overflow-wrap-anywhere underline-offset-[3px]\" rel=\"noopener\" data-afl-p=\"0\" href=\"https:\/\/www.14ers.com\/route.php?route=maro1\">Colorado Fourteeners Initiative<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThese mountains are known for having a lot of loose rock and being fairly dangerous,\u201d Rees told <em>Outside<\/em>. \u201cUp close, the rock is very loose and unforgiving. Route-finding is difficult, and it\u2019s very easy to take a wrong step or have the wrong handhold and fall,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p>Incredibly steep terrain also means seemingly innocuous mishaps can quickly become deadly. In May, a hiker slid 200 feet down the Maroon Bells after slipping at an elevation of around 11,300 feet. In August, Colorado hiker Brandon Hinkle was completing the Maroon Bells Traverse when he tumbled 500 feet down a sheer rock face and suffered multiple serious injuries.<\/p>\n<h2>Mountaineering Through High-Alpine Dangers<\/h2>\n<p>Rees reiterated the importance of traveling with a buddy, especially in dangerous terrain.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWithout even realizing it in the moment, you\u2019re constantly checking in with each other when you\u2019re hiking up,\u201d she said. \u201cHaving that constant feedback and another opinion is helpful checks and balances.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>And if you\u2019re not feeling it, Rees said known when to turn around can save lives.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe mountain will be there forever, and it\u2019s okay to get to a certain point and realize today is not the day,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p>MRA also reminds backcountry travelers to leave a detailed itinerary with a trusted person before departing, including the intended route, expected return time, and contingency plans. Anyone traveling in the backcountry should also carry appropriate equipment, \u00a0be prepared for rapidly changing mountain conditions, and always bring a reliable two-way satellite communication device when traveling in areas without cell service.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019re not going to stop hiking these peaks,\u201d Rees added. \u201cIt\u2019s traumatizing but, just be safe and be prepared. Know when to stop, and know your limits.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><!-- --><span hidden=\"\" aria-hidden=\"true\"\/><\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.outsideonline.com\/outdoor-adventure\/exploration-survival\/maroon-bells-closed-two-climber-deaths\/\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Published September 8, 2026 04:20PM The U.S. Forest Service temporarily closed all climbing access to Colorado\u2019s Maroon Peak on September 8, 2026, to recover the body of a climber who had fallen off the mountain. The death marked\u00a0the first of two fatal mountaineering accidents on Colorado\u2019s famed 14er summits in less than a week. Officials<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":17106,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[35],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-17105","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-wild-living"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17105","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=17105"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17105\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/17106"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=17105"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=17105"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=17105"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}