September 3, 1952
Larry Hackstaff and Gondon Schindel were in a party of four that completed North Maroon Peak. After reacing the low point on the connecting ridge to Maroon Peak, the party split up, two members descended while Hackstaff and Gordon reached the summit of Maroon Peak. Upon the descent to Crater Lake, they shared an ice axe by riding piggyback. They slid and impacted some rocks below, causing the death of Schindel and multiple lacerations and dislocated foot of Hackstaff, who was rescued two days later.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering, 1953
August 5, 1956
Ralph Melville attempted to descend Maroon Peak glissading a couloir and lost control, falling several times on the descent. A young female in the party downclimbed the standard route, traversed to the slope and assisted Melville down an overhang he was lying on. They were rescued the next day.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering, 1957
July 27, 1965
"Louis Covert, died shortly after 9:00 AM when a falling rock struck him in the chest and knocked him from a ledge. Other climbers used mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and administered first aid but could not revive him. "Source: Email from Rob Jackson
August 15, 1965
A party from Los Alamos NM consisting of Frank Pretzel, Herbert Ungnade, Robert Day, and William Martin reached the summit of Maroon Peak. On the descent all were roped together in between two snowfields when one of the members slipped, causing all the members to fall. Martin's consciousness came back, whereupon it was observed that Pretzel and Day were killed by the impact. Ungnade was above Martin, and could be heard shouting. Martin went for help and went out on horseback. A rescue team evacauted Ungnade, but he died in the helicopter on the way to Aspen Hospital.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering, 1966
August 27, 1965
Peter Itso fell 100 feet while descending on wet rock. George Slahorek found Itso alive and conscious, and went to get help. When rescue arrived, Itso had fallen another 50 feet over an outcrop to his death.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering, 1966
July 4, 1971
Bruce Markel slipped and fell 500 feet while crossing a couloir. His fall was stopped on a ledge, where members of his party attended to him until he was rescued.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering, 1972
October 19, 1978
Lynn Sparks, a minister in Carbondale, attempted to descend down a couloir and lost control. He slid down the snowfield and impacted boulders at the base, causing his death.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering, 1979
Unknown Date 1982
Tom Reed, 20 years old, voluntarily glissaded a steep snow slope when he lost control and couldn't self-arrest in the hard snow. He maneuvered himself to impact a rock band to prevent a further fall. He was cut above his eyebrow and was unconsicous, fracturing his skull. He was able to walk out under his own power.Source: alumni.nols.edu
July 26, 1986
Greg Mace, President of Mountain Rescue Association, on a Mountain Rescue training exercise with three others, was testing the snow on the Bell Cord Couloir when he lost his ice axe. He slid 700 feet down into boulders feet first, breaking all the ribs in his left side and puncturing his left lung, which preceded his death.Source: Accidents in North American Mountaineering, 1987
August 5, 1989
Raymond Boucher was apparently killed on the Bells. Details are unknown.Source: Plaque at Maroon Lake
June 13, 1992
A party of six climbers was swept away in an avalanche while attempting Maroon Peak. Brent and Marcellene Cameron, owners of 11 McDonalds restaurants were killed.Source: Rocky Mountain News
July 5, 1994
John Wallack lost his footing in the Bell Cord Couloir and slid to the boulders, suffering a mild concussion, bruises, and cuts. He was rescued later that day.Source: Rocky Mountain News
August 16, 1997
Hillary Trish fell down the Bell Cord Couloir on the Northeast Side of Maroon Peak, fracturing her pelvis and injuring her head and neck. She was evacuated and later successfully removed from life support.Source: Rocky Mountain News
August 19, 2006
66-year-old Sterling Smith was descending South Maroon Peak at 12,800' when he slipped and fell down a steep gully, suffering fatal head trauma.Source: Aspen Times
Maroon Peak as seen from North Maroon Peak