FATAL FALL

Climber Dies After Plunging From 14,000-Foot Mountain

The peak has a long history of fatal accidents.

A climber has died after falling on Colorado’s Longs Peak, the highest mountain in Rocky Mountain National Park. According to The Coloradoan, park search-and-rescue teams responded Sunday after receiving reports of an incident on Kiener’s Route, a popular climbing route to the 14,259-foot summit. Rescuers located the climber on the mountain’s upper east face, where they were pronounced dead. Authorities have not released the victim’s identity or disclosed how the fall occurred. Longs Peak is a renowned destination for experienced climbers but is also notorious for rapidly changing weather and hazardous conditions. Despite being considered one of the more accessible routes to the summit, Kiener’s Route requires intermediate alpine climbing skills and typically takes one to two days to complete. The Coloradoan reports that more than 70 people have died on Longs Peak since the national park was established in 1915, including at least six fatalities in 2022.