Recreation safety a major concern after two climbers die in Colorado's Flatirons

The City of Boulder emphasized the importance of outdoor safety after two people died in separate incidents in the Flatirons.

One hiker, a 27-year-old whose identity has not yet been shared, and a 42-year-old climber and runner Keith Hayes both died while hiking in the area this week.

Thursday night Hayes' friends and family planned to come together to honor his life while the city continues to push for safety for hikers and climbers.

Phillip Yates works for the City of Boulder's Open Space and Mountain Parks Department. This isn't the first time he has seen pain come from outdoor sports, but it's part of the reason he pushes for safe recreation.

"From time to time, unfortunate incidents like this occur, and we're deeply saddened whenever they occur," Yates said.

He said the city staffs areas where they can, but one of his top safety recommendations is the importance of preparation and communicating your plan with someone away from the mountain.

"We have rangers who are out there on the trail. We have volunteers. We also have education outreach staff. So we take extensive efforts throughout the year," Yates said, "Before visiting open space and other public lands, really understand and recognize the importance of your abilities and create the plan so people know where you're going."

While Boulder's iconic Flatirons draw adventure seekers looking to go hiking or climbing, some even without a rope, Yates encouraged athletes to always come prepared.

"Ensure that you have the right equipment, you wear the right shoes, you understand where you're going to and you're always prepared to access the environment in the appropriate and safe way," Yates said.

Yates emphasized that any open space can be dangerous and comes with some inherent risk, and asked climbers to educate themselves as much as they can about what's ahead before they arrive at the trail.