A climber was rescued Friday morning after falling roughly 1,000 feet in the Bell Cord Couloir on Maroon Peak near Aspen, Colorado.
The Pitkin County Regional Emergency Dispatch Center received the call at approximately 8:36am on May 22nd, 2026. The climber fell while ascending the Bell Cord snowfield and sustained multiple non-life-threatening injuries.
Mountain Rescue Aspen deployed two field teams totaling 11 members to carry out a technical rescue on steep snow terrain. Teams reached the trailhead around 9:50am and began a roughly three-mile approach to the subject, who was located at approximately 12,300 feet elevation.
Rescuers made contact with the climber at 12:20pm, performed a medical assessment, stabilized injuries, and began a technical lower down the snowfield. The subject and rescue teams returned to the trailhead at 3:10pm, with all personnel out of the field by 3:40pm. The climber declined further medical care on scene.
The Pitkin County Sheriff’s Office used the incident as an opportunity to remind backcountry travelers to come prepared. Officials urge climbers to dress for rapidly changing mountain conditions, carry technical gear appropriate for their route, and bring a two-way satellite communication device when venturing into areas without cell service.
