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Very sadly, on Tuesday, July 23, 2024, at approximately 8:30 a.m., Grand County Dispatch received a report of an overdue climber in the Lone Eagle Peak area near Crater Lake in Indian Peaks Wilderness located in the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests. On the same morning, Boulder County Sheriff’s Office also received a report of a missing person at Brainard Lake for an overdue party.

As Grand County Search and Rescue (GCSAR) began search operations in Grand County, Boulder County Sheriff’s Office also began a search for the missing person. While speaking with the reporting party, it was determined that the route this individual planned to take was primarily in Grand County (Brainard to Pawnee Pass, to Crater Lake, up Lone Eagle Peak, and then across to Apache Peak, and back to Brainard).

At 12:15 p.m. hikers in the area reported finding a deceased male near Lone Eagle Peak. A Flight for Life helicopter assisted GCSAR with relaying crews close to the area. At 3 p.m. search and recovery operations were suspended due to weather and access issues.

On Wednesday, July 24 at 6 a.m., members of GCSAR were assisted in the recovery by Colorado Search and Rescue (CSAR) State Coordinators, and a Colorado Division of Fire Protection and Control (DFPC) Helitac and crew out of Canon City. As the subject’s location was approximately eight miles into the Indian Peaks Wilderness and on technical terrain, a ground-based recovery would have been extremely dangerous and time consuming. The DFPC crew picked up four Rocky Mountain Rescue Group (RMRG) technical rope specialists in Boulder and transported them to the base of Lone Eagle Peak. Meanwhile, four rescuers from GCSAR left Monarch Lake Trailhead as a backup in the event the RMRG crew needed assistance and to act as a radio relay.

At approximately 1 p.m. DFPC was able to recover and transport the deceased male to the Grand County Coroner. All search and rescue crews were out of the field by 1:30 p.m. The Grand County Coroner’s Office is working with the victim’s family. The decedent’s identity and cause and manner of death will be released by the Coroner when appropriate.

We are grateful to our partner agencies that provided assistance: Grand County Search and Rescue, Rocky Mountain Rescue Group, Front Range Rescue Dogs, Colorado Search and Rescue Association, Civil Air Patrol Cellular Forensics Team, Flight for Life, Colorado Division of Fire Protection and Control, Boulder County Sheriff’s Office, Boulder Emergency Squad, Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests, and the Grand County Coroner’s Office.