October 17, 1958
Darryl Christensen was ascending Redgarden Wall when his rope became stuck in a crack and he lost his balance. His belayer slowed and stopped his fall 20 feet from the base of the climb. He suffered back injuries and cuts on his head.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering, 1959
September 29, 1963
Warren Bleser was climbing the Grand Giraffe when protection pulled out due to a slip. He broke his wrists and suffered head injuries trying to wedge in the chimney on the way down. His fall was checked and he was rescued.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering, 1964
March 3, 1971
Dave King was following Steve Kliewer up "Calypso" when he was having trouble completing a section and fell a fatal 75 feet to the base of the climb while Kliewer was in the process of guiding him through the difficult section and removed a nut placed earlier in order to better access King. King's fall pulled down Kliewer, who suffered ankle injuries and required a technical evacuation from a ledge.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering, 1972
November 24, 1972
Mark Schemmer became caught in his chest harness and prussik while trying to untangle a rope, and lost the ability to move after circulation dissipated. His climbing partner descended to find help and he was rescued after experiencing hypothermia.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering, 1973
February 1, 1986
Clayton Jackson was leading "Reggae" when he ran out of protection and fell. He cartwheeled a distance before his fall was checked and suffered a broken foot.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering, 1987
May 8, 1986
An unknown female was rappelling Redgarden Wall after adjusting the anchor and fell 100 feet. She suffered a broken back, pelvis, and shoulders. A rescue team stabilized her erratic and weak breathing.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering, 1987
June 21, 1986
An unknown Japanese climber received a broken leg from rockfall while waiting at the base of Redgarden Wall.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering, 1987
1987
An unknown male fell while ascending Redgarden Wall.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering, 1988
April 3, 1988
Unknown Male fell 25 feet while a misplaced carabiner came open. He suffered minor injuries.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering, 1989
June 25, 1988
Adam Hurst and Randall Vett hiked to the top of a cliff known as "Naked Edge" to rappel down. Lightning killed Hurst and Vett was unconscious, whose fall was stopped by his clothing catching in the rappel gear.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering, 1989
October 8, 1988
Bob Drumheller was hit with rockfall on "Touch-N-Go". He suffered cuts requiring stitches.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering, 1989
June 13, 1990
Matthew Floyd was hiking with a group of friends when he fell off a ledge to his death.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering, 1991
August 8, 1993
Mark Dorman fell 70 feet to his death when his protection pulled out.Source: Rocky Mountain News
September 19, 1993
Mark McCluskey was climbing the "Tagger" route on The Wind Towers when protection pulled out. McCluskey suffered head and neck injuries from the fall.Source: Rocky Mountain News
May 27, 1994
An unknown male was climbing "Whittle Wall" on Redgarden Wall when the crux became too difficult, and he fell 50 feet pulling out protection. He sustained multiple broken bones and cuts.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering, 1995
June 12, 1994
An unknown male was top-roping Red Garden Wall when a rock came loose and it his head. His partners belayed him down, and he bandaged himself.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering, 1995
June 18, 1994
An unknown male fell while climbing The Bastille when protection pulled out, losing a large amount of blood.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering, 1995
June 29, 1994
An unknown male fell while climbing The Bastille when protection pulled out. His fall was stopped by hitting his belayer at the base, breaking his shoulder.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering, 1995
July 11, 1994
An unknown female was practicing rappelling on "Supremacy" when a carabiner became unfastened and she fell 20 feet, breaking her ankle.September 10, 1994
An unknown male was 30 feet above the base of "Blackwalk" on Redgarden Wall when he slipped, causing protection to pull out. He impacted the base head-first, suffering a fractured hip, skull, and collarbone.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering, 1995
February 18, 1995
Two climbers were ascending Redgarden Wall when their rope jammed and they waited out the night for a rescue team.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering, 1996
June 11, 1995
An unknown male rappelled off the end of his rope, which was not doubled, and fell 30 feet.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering, 1996
October 7, 1995
An unknown male was free-soloing T-2 when he fell and broke his foot.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering, 1996
May 6, 1996
An unknown male fell 30 feet on rappel when the sling came undone.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering, 1997
May 22, 1996
An unknown male was leading "Kloof" when a mount failed and protection pulled out, causing his fatal fall.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering, 1997
May 27, 1996
An unknown male was leading a route called "Ruper" on Redgarden Wall when he fell on a traverse and was knocked unconscious. He fell 60 feet, suffering cuts and a fractured skull.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering, 1997
June 1, 1996
An unknown male fell 30 feet on a traverse of Bastille Crack and the one piece of protection pulled out.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering, 1997
June 30, 1996
An unknown female was ascending the Wind Tower and thought she was being belayed, when she fell 15 feet without a top rope.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering, 1997
September 29, 1996
An unknown male was struck with rockfall from parties above on his ascent up Red Garden Wall. He suffered a broken arm.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering, 1997
April 1, 1997
Dan Jenkins was climbing the Wind Towers when his rappel anchor failed. His head impacted rock on the 40-foot fall causing him to lose consciousness and later resulted in his death.Source: Denver Post
January 17, 1998
David Walters was ascending "Dirty Deed" when he became tired and slipped, falling 30 feet to his last placed protection, which pulled out. He fell again a fatal 50 feet, suffering massive trauma from impacting rock.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering, 1999
February 8, 1998
An unknown male was being belayed on rappel on the West Ridge when his partner let the rope run out through the belay device, resulting in a fall of 30 feet. He suffered a broken ankle.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering, 1999
February 22, 1998
An unknown female climber was at the base of Rincon Wall when rockfall from a party above broke her arm. She was aided by a nurse who was close by.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering, 1999
March 25, 1998
Beth Coats was descending a cliff band unroped after completing The Bastille. She fell 50 feet, suffering cuts, a broken back and spinal cord injuries.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering, 1999
June 7, 1998
An unknown male was climbing "Ruper" on Redgarden Wall when he missed a hold and fell. His belayer stopped the fall, and he suffered a sprained foot.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering, 1999
August 8, 1998
An unknown male was ascending Redgarden Wall when he fell 12 feet before the belayer checked the fall. He suffered a broken leg upon impacting a large rock in the fall, and required a rescue team for evacuation.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering, 1999
September 6, 1998
An unknown male climbed to the top of "Just Another Girl's Climb" by an easy route after failing to successfully lead the intended route. He started a rappel down, and ran off the rope, which was untied. He suffered a broken leg and shoulder.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering, 1999
July 27, 2000
Aaron Nydam was climbing The Bastille when he fell 25 feet and protection pulled out. He suffered a hip dislocation and lacerations.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering, 2001
July 5, 2001
An unknown male was ascending the West Face of the Bastille with the rope too loose to check his 25-foot fall. He suffered broken ankles.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering, 2002
October 12, 2002
An unknown male was rappelling when his partner lost control. He fell 40 feet and suffered head injuries, lifted out by helicopter.Source: Climbingboulder.com
Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering, 2002
September 5, 2003
Nancy Birdwell lost her footing while ascending the Wind Towers when a handhold failed and impacted a ledge a short distance below. She suffered a broken heel and was carried out by Rocky Mountain Rescue.Source: Rocky Mountain News
May 23, 2004
Brandon Fritts was climbing unroped on "Smoke and Mirrors" when he fell 60 feet, taken to the hospital in critical condition.Source: Boulder Daily Camera
October 21, 2004
Alexander McInnes fell 50 feet and became entangled in his rope while climbing the Anthill Direct route on Redgarden Wall. His cause of death was determined to be asphixiation.Source: News4Colorado.com
January 26, 2006
A 25-year-old male was rapelling the Rincon Route when he fell 20 feet and died from head trauma. He was not wearing a helmet.Source: Channel 7 News
Climbers ascending The Bastille in Eldorado Canyon