August 23, 1954
Rip Collins fell 100 feet while ascending the Ellingwood Arete before his rope stopped the fall. His party spent two days and three nights stranded on the peak before their yells attracted other climbers to seek help. Collins sustained a broken arm and several bruises and cuts.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering, 1955
August 15, 1958
Charles Dotter and his wife were climbing Ellingwood Arete when a rope became jammed near the final pitch. A party below saw a balloon Dotter had blown up the following morning, and climbed the standard route, rescuing them with a rope.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering, 1959
September 11, 1982
Duane Best fell 160 feet to his death.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering, 1983
August 12, 1982
Matthew O'Connor fell while climbing the standard route solo. He recovered from his injuries three weeks later.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering, 1983
October 1982
Two unknown climbers died climbing Crestone Needle. It is not known if these incidents were on separate occassions.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering, 1983
September 15, 1991
Debbie Waters slipped and fell 180 feet down a couloir while climbing the standard route at the 13,000 foot level. She suffered serious head injury. She was rescued in a helicopter 2 days later.Source: Rocky Mountain News
August 12, 1992
Douglas Hunt and Jane Johnston were climbing Crestone Needle, when Hunt fell 100 feet to his death. Johnston was later discovered wandering around with head injuries.Source: Rocky Mountain News
August 22, 1992
Allen L. Bounds was hit in the head by rockfall from his partner Joe Miles. Bounds fell an additional 40 feet to his death, and Miles was treated for injuries sustained when the rock came loose.Source: Rocky Mountain News
August 20, 1993
David Winecoff, a Missouri Pastor, fell while climbing the standard route. While his partner went to seek help, he fell again, dying from the fall.Source: Rocky Mountain News
September 6, 1998
A climber was attempting Ellingwood Arete solo in hiking boots when he slipped and was injured. He was rescued the following day.Source: El Paso County Search and Rescue
August 1999
An unknown climber was injured while climbing Ellingwood Arete. He was rescued.Source: www.goldinc.com/Tour/Wyoming/Laramie/Organizations/
July 2, 2001
An unknown climber was injured while climbing the South Couloir. He was rescued.Source: www.houstonclimbing.com
June 20, 2003
A climber was ascending Ellingwood Arete when he slipped and sprained a ankle, requiring a technical rescueSource: Eyewitness Accounts near Lower South Colony lake 06/21/03.
August 31, 2003
Marc Araneta, was ascending Ellingwood Arete about 100' up the pitch when he fell 20 feet and broke his tibia and fibula above the ankle. He was rescued and carried out down the South Colony Lakes road.Source: fourteenerworldforum.com
September 13, 2003
Two climbers became stranded in a snowstorm about 2/3 up Ellingwood Arete. Unable to move, they bivouaced for two days until search and rescue were able to bring them down.Source: fourteenerworldforum.com
Crestone Needle from Lower S. Colony Lake