May 26, 1949
Jennie Akers was climbing the East Face of Creation Rock in Red Rocks when she reached for a fallen scarf and fell. She suffered a broken arm and leg.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering, 1950
April 22, 1950
Jack Scudder was demonstrating rappel techniques on South Turkey Creek Rocks when his shirt became jammed in the carabiner. Using a knife, he attempted to free the shirt, severing the rope in the process. He fell 100 feet and died 14 hours later.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering, 1951
October 10, 1953
Ronald Hedge was climbing Ship Rock in Red Rocks Park about 70 feet up from the base when he took a fatal fall.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering, 1954
May 1, 1956
Robert Kreuzer was on a CMC trip on Turkey Creek Practice rocks when his group was crowding the route on a ledge. He decided to climb up a chockstone and slipped, falling head-first 10 feet, suffering only bruises and cuts.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering, 1957
September 2, 1957
H. T. Carlson was climbing a moderate face near Coal Creek Canyon when he fell 50 feet down the face and cliffbands, suffering a broken elbow and wrist.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering, 1958
May 3, 1959
Paul Wright was climbing in Clear Creek Canyon without rope to recover pitons when he traversed an overhang and had no route options. He fell 40 feet, breaking his arm, leg, and ribs.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering, 1960
July 4, 1959
Daniel McGill was climbing with friends in Turkey Creek when he fell and fractured his collarbone and shoulderblade.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering, 1960
July 27, 1959
Philip Jensen was rappelling Mount Olinger in Turkey Creek Canyon when a ption came out and he fell a fatal 400 feet.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering, 1960
September 20, 1959
Donald Powell was with his family when he decided to descend to Turkey Creek Canyon from Hwy 285. He slipped on a grass ramp and slid 60 feet, impacting rocks that resulted in his death.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering, 1960
February 2, 1961
Kenneth Cooper was traversing a ledge above Tunnel 3 on U.S. 6 when he lost his footing and fell, sustaining a fractured pelvis.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering, 1962
September 19, 1966
William Davis and Peyton Mead were climbing The Dome in Turkey Creek Canyon when Mead slipped and fell. Davis was able to check the fall, but then the rope snapped and both fell. Davis did not survive the fall.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering, 1967
August 1, 1970
Larry Davis was climbing The Castle when he fell 60 feet from about 150' up the face. He landed on a ledge, whereupon a boy member of a Church outing (David Roth) fell to the same ledge when hoisted down for rescue via a series of clothes tied together that unravelled. Roth survived, but Davis did not.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering, 1971
May 22, 1990
An Unknown teenage male was climbing illegally in Deer Creek Canyon near Litteton when he slipped and rolled down the pitch he was climbing 150' feet to his death.Source: Rocky Mountain News
October 21, 1991
Kevin Perisho was illegally climbing in Red Rocks after drinking with his friend. He fell and later died from massive head trauma.Source: Rocky Mountain News
July 4, 1992
An unknown male was attempting to climb in Red Rocks during an Allman Brothers concert when he lost his hold and fell 30 feet to his death.Source: Rocky Mountain News
August 30, 1992
An unknown male was climbing Dakota Ridge Near the Hogback when he fell a fatal 70 feet.Source: Rocky Mountain News
July 25, 1993
John Christopher Brown, 8, was hiking West of Tunnel 3 with his family when he fell a fatal 100 feet.Source: Rocky Mountain News
June 16, 1994
An unknown male was climbing in Clear Creek Canyon near U.S. 6 when he fell to his death.Source: Rocky Mountain News
March 26, 1998
An unknown male was unroped climbing a face on Lookout Mountain near Lariat Loop when he fell a fatal 100 feet.Source: Rocky Mountain News
May 9, 1998
Mike Trudell was climbing with his girlfriend near Tunnel 2 on U.S. 6 when he fell 70+ feet to the base of the climb. He was rescued.Source: Rocky Mountain News
April 24, 2000
Heather Lower was climbing Cat Slab near tunnel 5 on U.S. 6 when she inadvertently unclipped her harness and started rappel, falling over 100 feet to her death. She was not wearing a helmet.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering, 2001
February 22, 2002
James Smithwick was climbing North Table Mountain in Golden when a large rock came loose, causing him to fall and break his knee.Source: Climbingboulder.com
January 1, 2003
An unknown male was ascending a ledge near Hwy. 74 by Bear Creek when his footing gave way on icy rock and he fell a fatal 50 feet to the creek bed below.Source: 9 News.com
June 29, 2003
An unknown female was climbing near Tunnel 2 on U.S. 6 unroped when she fell 50 feet, sustaining multiple leg injuries and requiring a vertical evacuation.Source: climbingboulder forum
July 2003
An unknown male was lowering himself from the top of the route on Highwire Crag when his partner thought he was rappelling. He fell to the route's base, suffering head injuries and lacerations. He was lifted out via helicopter and recovered some days later.Source: climbingboulder forum
January 18, 2004
An unknown male was climbing Clear Creek Canyon unroped and fell over an ice shelf, only fracturing his ankle after a 100' tumble.Source: 9news.com
December 28, 2004
A 21-year-old male was climbing with his partner west of Tunnel 2 on US 6 when he fell 80 feet to his death.Source: Rocky Mountain News
Buffalo Peak - Jefferson County Highpoint