Cyclist Runs Out Of Water, Dies On Palisade Plunge; 3 Other Cyclists Rescued

MESA COUNTY, Colo. (CBS4) - A 52-year-old man from Colorado Springs passed away Saturday afternoon while mountain biking in western Colorado on the Palisade Plunge trail. He reportedly ran out of water.

Three other cyclists found the man near mile marker 28 of the trail and called 911 at 6:45 p.m., the Mesa County Sheriff's Office stated in a press release. He was described as suffering from "heat-related illness."

Search and rescue personnel and a medical helicopter were sent to the remote area, but efforts to save the cyclist's life were not successful.

According to the sheriff's office, the other three cyclists had also run out of water.

"They started with a gallon of water each and ran out about 10 miles before the end of the trail," the sheriff's office stated in its press release. "They were rescued and treated for dehydration."

The Palisade Plunge is a 34 mile trail between the top of the Grand Mesa and the Town of Palisade. The route descends from 10,700 feet to 4,700 feet at the Colorado River, according to a Facebook page devoted to the site that is run by Palisade Cycle & Shuttle. The trail opened for the season two weeks ago, though a portion of it is still closed due to muddy conditions.

The identity of the cyclist will be released by the Mesa County Coroner's Office once family members have been fully notified of his passing. The coroner's office will also determine an official cause of death.

High temperatures in the triple digits are expected again Sunday and Monday.

RELATED: Hiker Rescued From Boulder County Trail For Heat-Related Illness

In:
• Colorado Springs News