Out-of-state man falls 800 feet to his death from technical ridgeline route in Colorado

According to the San Miguel County Sheriff's Office, a 21-year-old Arizona man who was overdue from a climb on the El Diente and Mount Wilson ridgeline traverse has been found deceased, approximately 20 miles southwest of Telluride.

A search for the man started on Tuesday, July 23, with the man's remains being recovered on Wednesday, July 24.

The man, said to be an experienced hiker, was located following a lengthy search that utilized air assets and involved three agencies, with evidence pointing to the man falling an estimated 800 vertical feet into upper Kilpacker Basin while he navigated a difficult section of the route.

The Mount Wilson and El Diente Traverse connects the two namesake fourteeners and is known for its technical difficulty. According to 14ers.com, it's rated as 'class four,' which comes with extreme risks including exposure, rockfall, route-finding, and overall commitment. While it's only about a mile long with about 500 feet of vertical gain, traveling the route means moving at a slow pace with some handholds and footholds on the route subject to breaking or shifting unexpectedly. Traveling the route should be reserved only for experienced mountain climbers. Typically, climbers start on El Diente and climb toward the Mount Wilson summit.

Condolences go out to those impacted by this death.

If you're interested in supporting Colorado's volunteer-powered search and rescue operation, one way to do so is through the purchase of a CORSAR card. It's cheap, at only $5 per year.