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Duo Falls At Rocky Mountain National Park, Killing Young Woman

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Published Date

August 14, 2023

A young couple descending a couloir at Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado fell approximately 300 feet, killing the young woman and critically injuring her companion.

The 21-year-old woman was from Severance, Colorado, and was pronounced dead at the scene. Her 25-year-old companion, a San Angelo, Texas, man, was initially treated at the scene before being flown by helicopters to a Loveland, Colorado, hospital.

According to a park release, the couple fell Saturday afternoon while coming down the Flying Dutchman couloir, which is located between Longs Peak and Mount Meeker.

Others in the area contacted park rangers via cell phone in addition to activating a personal locator beacon. Bystanders provided initial care to the seriously injured male. Park rangers, a park paramedic, and an Estes Park Health paramedic provided advanced medical care on scene. Because of the severity of the 25-year-old male's injuries, park rangers asked for assistance from a Colorado Air National Guard helicopter from Buckley Air Force Base to extricate him via hoist operation, using a winch operated cable.

Rocky Mountain Rescue Group assisted with helicopter hoist operations Saturday evening. The man was transferred to a Flight for Life air ambulance at Upper Beaver Meadows and flown to Medical Center of the Rockies.

Recovery operations for the female were hampered by weather Sunday and were to resume Monday, weather and resources permitting. 

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