Pitkin County Sheriff鈥檚 Office and Mountain Rescue Aspen , one deceased and one injured, on the Maroon Bells鈥 North Maroon Peak this Friday afternoon. The climbers went missing in the Elk Mountains on Wednesday.
Rescuers found injured climber David Richardson, 32, of Vail, Colorado, at 11:15 a.m. in the Bell Chord region of the peak鈥檚 eastern face; he sustained at least one broken bone. The body of climber Jarod Wetherell, 37, of Avon, was found in the Rock Glacier area of the peak at 12:45 p.m.聽
鈥淭he area in which they were found is an area where other people have, unfortunately, also been found deceased鈥 and injured, Deputy Alex Burchetta told 国产吃瓜黑料.
Richardson was transported by helicopter to Aspen Valley Hospital, and Burchetta said rescuers have successfully retrieved Wetherell鈥檚 body. Both families have been notified of the accident.
鈥淚t is late in the season, and we did have six to seven inches of snow last night,鈥 Burchetta said. 鈥淟uckily we got a break in the weather and were able to deploy helicopters 鈥 [but] it鈥檚 a very technical area to climb and requires extensive knowledge of climbing practices.鈥
According to , rescuers began searching for the duo Wednesday after a friend called the sheriff鈥檚 office to report them missing. Their car was found at the trailhead Wednesday morning, and three teams from Mountain Rescue Aspen were dispatched Thursday.
The two peaks that make up the Maroon Bells, which the Aspen Chamber of Commerce coined 鈥渢he most photographed mountains in North America,鈥 are equally acknowledged for being dangerous. The Bells earned the name 鈥渢he Deadly Bells鈥 after eight people died in five separate accidents in 1965.