Climber Found Dead in Technical Terrain Near Colorado’s Maroon Bells

A climber reported overdue in Colorado’s Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness was found dead Thursday morning, September 3, 2026, after an aerial search located the person in extremely technical terrain near the Maroon Bells. The Pitkin County Sheriff’s Office was notified Wednesday, September 2, that the climber was overdue. Authorities initially did not know the person’s planned route or itinerary. Investigators later found information and notes inside the climber’s rental vehicle indicating plans to climb the Maroon Bells. Mountain Rescue Aspen (MRA) then concentrated its search in the area.

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On Thursday morning, MRA worked with CareFlight of the Rockies to conduct an aerial search. An MRA member flew with the CareFlight crew and helped search the rugged terrain. The climber was located deceased in an area that rescuers described as very technical and difficult to access.

According to Pitkin Couny Sheriff’s Office, the recovery is scheduled for Tuesday, September 8. The U.S. Forest Service has closed Maroon Peak to climbing access to allow the recovery operation to take place. The climber’s family has been notified, but authorities have not released a name. Final identification will be made after the body is recovered. Social media sources identified the deceased as Andrew Skipper, 68.

The Maroon Bells are among Colorado’s most famous mountains, rising above Maroon Lake roughly 10 miles (16 km) west of Aspen in the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness. The two peaks, 14,014-foot (4,272-meter) North Maroon Peak and 14,163-foot (4,317-meter) Maroon Peak, are among Colorado’s 58 fourteeners, but they are considerably more serious than their popularity might suggest.

The mountains have earned the nickname “Deadly Bells.” Colorado Fourteeners Initiative describes the Maroon Bells as having likely experienced more climber fatalities per attempt than any other Colorado 14ers. There is no considerable number of deaths that occurs at the Bells each year. Fatalities vary substantially from season to season. Historical research found eight climbing deaths on the Maroon Bells between 2000 and 2015, along with three additional deaths involving people in the area for other reasons.

The danger comes from the terrain rather than simply the elevation. The Bells are characterized by steep, exposed climbing, loose and fractured rock, route-finding challenges and sections where a mistake can have fatal consequences. The Bell Cord Couloir, separating the two peaks, has also been the site of numerous fatalities.

The broader Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness covers approximately 183,847 acres (74,400 hectares) across the White River and Gunnison national forests. It contains some of the most rugged terrain in Colorado, including several fourteeners and extensive remote backcountry.  The area is also heavily visited. The contrast between its popularity and its genuinely technical mountain terrain has long been a safety concern for local rescuers.

For this incident, authorities emphasized a basic precaution that can make an enormous difference when someone does not return: leave a trusted person with a detailed itinerary, including the intended route, expected return time and contingency plans. MRA and the Pitkin County Sheriff’s Office also recommend carrying appropriate equipment, preparing for rapidly changing mountain conditions and bringing a reliable two-way satellite communication device when traveling beyond cellular coverage.