Climber dies after fall on Castle Peak near Aspen

A climber died Sunday after falling on the north face of Castle Peak, a 14,272-foot summit in the Elk Mountains south of Aspen, Colorado. The incident occurred on the border of Gunnison and Pitkin counties.

Mountain Rescue Aspen and the Gunnison County Sheriff’s Office responded to the emergency after receiving a report of a fallen climber just after noon. A Flight for Life helicopter located the individual, and rescue teams reached the site by 4 p.m. Responders determined the climber had sustained injuries that “were not survivable.”

A recovery operation involving 21 personnel utilized a technical lowering system to retrieve the body from the mountain. The recovery was completed shortly after 8 p.m. The identity of the deceased has not been released.