MISSING CLIMBER: Maroon Bells, Bells traverse, Pyramid

[MountainRescue Aspen]

Please excuse the additional thread. Please report any information, sightings of gear clothing, calls for help to:

Pitkin County Sheriff's Office: Deputy Brad Gibson 970-920-5300 Brad.Gibson@PitkinSheriff.com

Please do not call Mountain Rescue Aspen directlyWhile we love chatting with the Mountaineering Community we are busy trying to find this individual

We will check back and keep the community informed when we can in addition to checking for "Information.

Information posted on this site has assisted many SAR teams......do not underestimate the value of the smallest thing you may have seen or heard

We thank you in advance

Press release

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bw-xrT ... ZaWQ4/view

[MountainRescue Aspen]

Thank you to those who have posted in the other thread.

While we will investigate each of the peaks, routes, typical "off route" scenarios, the posts of what you saw , conditions experienced and what you did not see are always valuable.

Our team will monitor both current threads and any additional relevant threads that pop up for relevant information.


If you have any information you feel is important but not for these "Public Threads" please call the Pitkin County Sheriff's office 970-920-5300

[Chase_Rowdy]

I was the first to summit Pyramid on Monday, 9/19, and did not see anyone hiking solo on my descent. I reached the turn off for Pyramid from Crater Lake Trail at roughly 3 pm and did not see anyone else ascending Pyramid.

[Jennmartin14]

Do you know about what time?

[Jblades]

This is the information I posted on the other thread if it helps:

I climbed North Maroon on Monday (9/19) via the standard route and didn't see any other climbers. I was on the summit around 10:40 and hung out for a while (the weather was blue bird, no weather threats) and didn't see anyone on Maroon or attempting the traverse. I left the summit around 11 and it took 3 hours to get back to my camp at Crater Lake (~2PM). I saw no other people on North Maroon on the ascent or descent.

The only sketchy part of N. Maroon would have been the class IV section which was snow packed but wasn't bad to climb up. On the descent I chose the class 3 "bypass" which was also snow packed but easy enough to get down without traction. The rest of the route was clear.

"Whiskeyzulu" has my phone number if there is any other information that might help. Hoping for the best.

[MountainRescue Aspen]

This is the information I posted on the other thread if it helps:

The only sketchy part of N. Maroon would have been the class IV section which was snow packed but wasn't bad to climb up. On the descent I chose the class 3 "bypass" which was also snow packed but easy enough to get down without traction. The rest of the route was clear.

"Whiskeyzulu" has my phone number if there is any other information that might help. Hoping for the best.

Just to confirm you are referring to the "Chimney" below "Broadway" and for your descent the climbers right bypass?

[Jennmartin14]

Thank you for all you do

[MountainRescue Aspen]

Press release


https://docs.google.com/document/d/1l4w ... f1-iA/edit" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Jennmartin14]

Thank you!!!!

Do we know the plan for tomorrow?? Have we narrowed down location?

[Jblades]

Mountain Rescue Aspen:

Sorry, I'm not familiar with the nickname Broadway. From the route description on this site (for the NE ridge of North Maroon), here is the way I went up:

"Turn left to see part of the summit in the distance, but plenty of climbing and loose rock remains - Photo #34. Climb a short distance up the ridge and the crux of the route comes into view - a rock band at 13,600' - Photo #35 and Photo #36. There is a Class 3 way around the rock band by hiking over to the right and ascending easier terrain but most people climb the rocks directly, using a short, difficult Class 4 chimney near the tip of the arrow in Photo #36. Walk up to the pitch (Photo #37) and carefully begin climbing - Photo #38."

Photo #38 shows the class 4 section (~300' below summit) that was snow packed the day I went up. It was a reasonable climb up but I knew I didn't want to descend this way because of the snow. On the descent, I went approximately 200' to the west (climbers right) and found some class 3 ledges to down climb that were also snow packed but not too bad. I had microspikes with me but chose not to use them and had no issues.

I'll PM your group my email address and phone number in case you have any other questions. Thanks for doing what you do.

[AnastasiaC]

This is a long shot, but maybe it's worth a try to search Instagram for specific hashtags. So many people post on there, maybe somebody who camped and hiked in the area will remember seeing David?

Sending most positive thoughts to friends and family who are anxious to find their loved one.

[glencharnoski]

I summited South Maroon at 10am on Monday. About 300' vertical down the ascent route, around 10:30am I met Ross (who works at Patagonia in Boulder) who was heading up to do the traverse to N Maroon. I decided to join him. We were closely followed by 2 other guys, who were only doing S Maroon. They would probably have seen a climber coming up around 1pm or so on their descent. I didn't get their names, but they were middle-aged guys wearing helmets. Close to 11:00am, when we started the traverse, I saw a climber on N Maroon, probably "jblades". During the traverse, and on the descent of N Maroon, we saw no other climbers. Packed snow (about 1-3 in.) covered the ledges on the north sides of both peaks, making for a delicate descent on slippery down-angling loose rock. The class 4 chimney on N Maroon had packed snow on the ledge above it, which was quite difficult and committing to descend because you had to ease out to the edge of the chimney on icy snow and use good climbing technique to get established. Also at the 30' cliff lower down, it was difficult to know where to go, as you couldn't see the steep descent over the lip.

It would seem logical a hiker would hike along the cliff band to find an easier way down at either of these 2 cruxy spots. Perhaps those 2 areas would be a good place to search.

Ross was camping by Crater Lake and was planning to fish all afternoon before heading out. Its improbable, but perhaps he saw someone coming off N Maroon or on the trail on the way back. I don't know his phone number, but you can call Patagonia Boulder.

Good Luck and my thoughts and prayers go out to all involved...And Thank You Mountain Rescue Aspen for your service.