Update: Colorado Officials Launch Peak Awareness Program

Seven people have died while climbing in the Elk Mountains this year. Mountain Rescue Aspen hopes to stop the trend.

'Dhaval Shreyas'

Published September 14, 2017 09:24PM

After five people died this summer while climbing 14,130-foot Capitol Peak, the Pitkin County Sheriff and Mountain Rescue Aspen announced a program to educate climbers about the dangers of local 14ers, especially Capitol and the Maroon Bells. Peak Awareness will hold annual presentations, provide resources on MRA’s website, and potentially post more warning signs along designated routes.

Update: The Denver Post recently published a story about Peak Awareness here. “There are at least 10 times are more people hiking around the backcountry now than in 1990, but we don’t have 10 times more rescues,” says one Mountain Rescue Aspen veteran.

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