Climber dies after fall on Castle Peak near Aspen, Colorado

<p>Officials in Colorado reported that a climber suffered a fatal fall on Sunday while attempting to scale Castle Peak, located south of Aspen. The peak has an elevation of 14,272 feet in the Elk Mountains, according to Mountain Rescue Aspen.</p><p>Rescue team members reached the climber by 4 p.m. after the Gunnison County Sheriff's Office was notified of the incident. However, officials determined that the individual had sustained injuries that were not survivable.</p><p>The fall was reportedly witnessed by nearby hikers, including Rebecca Rees, who shared her account on Facebook. "Unfortunately, we witnessed the event. It has been an extremely sad and terrible afternoon for all involved. He did not survive," she stated.</p><p>Rees noted that a bystander, identified as Robert, attempted to assist the climber immediately after the fall, putting himself at risk in case there was still a chance of survival. She added that the victim ultimately "wasn’t alone" in his final moments.</p><p>Rees commended the speed of the rescue crew, stating that despite the remote location, helicopter and ground teams reached nearly 13,000 feet in under two hours on a holiday weekend. Mountain Rescue Aspen reported that officials used off-highway vehicles and helicopters to access the area.</p><p>After locating the fallen climber, a helicopter returned to Aspen to pick up additional rescue personnel before transporting them to the high-elevation area near the peak. A total of 21 rescue members were deployed, and officials successfully recovered and evacuated the deceased climber from the mountain shortly after 8 p.m.</p><p>Rees expressed gratitude for the compassion shown by the responders during the recovery effort, stating, "The response of search and rescue, the sheriff, and the coroner all made us feel like every single person matters. This young man had a story and we all care."</p>