SAN MIGUEL COUNTY, Colo. (KDVR) — The San Miguel County Sheriff’s Office says a women died after falling from Via Ferrata.
Sheriff’s deputies, SAR, and Telluride Fire and EMS responded to the Via Ferrata climbing area on Aug. 5 for reports of a woman who had fallen a substantial distance while climbing with a friend.
When rescue crews arrived, they determined the 53-year-old woman from Tucson, Arizona had died as a result of the fall. It took more than 30 responders to recover the woman’s body, according to the sheriff’s office.
The sheriff’s office determined during the investigation that the fall was the result of an apparent, unwitnessed misstep while the victim was unclipped from the climbing equipment.
“The Via Ferrata is a wilderness route that requires experience and expertise to navigate safely and should be travelled with due caution,” shared the sheriff’s office.