Mountain Climber Dies on Treacherous Crestone Needle in the Sangre de Cristos
A 66-year-old mountain climber has tragically died after falling on the 14,000-foot Crestone Needle in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. The incident occurred as the climber was navigating a challenging route that begins at Crestone Peak and traverses a ‘class five’ route to Crestone Needle.
According to Custer County Search and Rescue, the climber successfully completed the most technical section of the route and reached the summit. However, during the descent, the climber apparently went off-route and suffered a fatal fall. The identity of the man has not yet been released.
This incident underscores the dangerous nature of the Crestone Group, particularly Crestone Needle, which has been the site of many rescue and recovery missions. Of the 49 missions conducted by Custer County Search and Rescue in the Crestone Group between 2015 and 2021, half occurred on Crestone Needle.
