Each year, multiple people die in their attempts to summit one of Colorado’s 53 peaks that rise over 14,000 feet. Some 14ers are more dangerous than others, and unfortunately, one of the most perilous of these mountains just claimed another life. On June 27, a climber going up Little Bear Peak fell and died, despite local emergency response.
What Happened
In a Facebook post, the Alamosa Volunteer Search and Rescue (AVSAR) explained the incident.
The rescue group received a call on June 27 for a hiker going up the West Ridge indirect approach up the mountain. A large chunk of rock fell, which caused the climber to fall and led to severe injuries that left them in “critical condition.”
AVSAR mobilized a Blackhawk helicopter from the Colorado Army National Guard. Strong winds reaching up to 60 mph on the peak made working with a helicopter difficult. Two SAR team members were dropped off at 12,100 feet to try to reach the hiker by foot. Rescuers continued to use a 4×4 rig and the helicopter.
By 2:10 p.m., SAR members had successfully and safely executed the hoist by helicopter, and delivered the hiker to medical personnel waiting on a nearby helipad. Despite their efforts, the hiker later died from their injuries.
What Is Little Bear Peak?
This 14,041-foot peak in the Rockies is in southern Colorado, close to Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve. It is about 220 miles from Denver.
Many hiking sites classify this 14er as one of the most dangerous and difficult. According to Alltrails, it’s “an extremely challenging hike that requires technical experience. There are significant sections of Class 4 scrambling.”
The West Ridge Indirect trail avoids the most dangerous part of the normal West Ridge approach: the Hourglass, an area with steep terrain known for loose rock. But this method is still perilous. The crux has “extreme exposure on both sides,” according to 14ers.com.
In the period from 2010 to 2017, one person died on Little Bear Peak. A man just barely survived on the mountain last year after being hit with a large falling rock on the ascent of the Hourglass.
