Climber gets stuck on Colorado peak with poor cell service and no food, rescuers say

A climber went off-route and ended up stranded with poor cell phone service and no food, Colorado rescuers said.

The climber planned to make the trek on Capitol Peak near Snowmass Village on Sunday, Sept. 4, the Pitkin County Sheriff’s Office said. He became “cliffed out,” making him unable to move up or down the mountain because of the tricky terrain.

“The climber had been off-route, was in physical distress, dehydrated and out of food, and was not properly equipped for the terrain in which he found himself,” deputies said in a news release.

The climber called for help at about 1:30 p.m., according to the sheriff’s office. He had poor cell phone service, but rescuers were able to understand where he was.

The Mountain Rescue Aspen team rushed to the area. They deployed foot and flight teams to search for the hiker, but they were not successful.

“A Blackhawk helicopter from the U.S. Army National Guard also searched the area with (rescuers), which was ultimately able to make contact with the climber in distress at approximately 5:13 p.m.,” deputies said.

The climber was flown off the peak in the helicopter, and the rescue mission was completed by 6:30 p.m.

Officials did not disclose the climber’s name or condition.

Capitol Peak is a difficult 15-mile out-and-back trail, according to hiking website AllTrails. The trek usually takes about 9 hours and 30 minutes to finish.

A day earlier, a woman climbing Capitol Peak fell 900 feet to her death, McClatchy News reported.

Other climbers told rescuers the woman fell when a rock handhold gave way.

“Capitol Peak is considered one of Colorado’s most difficult mountains to climb with extreme exposure and loose, crumbling rock,” the sheriff’s office said.

This story was originally published September 7, 2022 at 2:08 PM with the headline "Climber gets stuck on Colorado peak with poor cell service and no food, rescuers say."