Iconic Colorado peak claims second climber's life in a month

ASPEN, Colo. -- A climber who fell from an iconic feature of a Colorado "14er" -- a mountain peak exceeding 14,000 feet -- suffered fatal injuries over the weekend, CBS Denver reports

The unidentified climber's body was left below Capitol Peak's Knife Edge until better weather can provide search and rescue teams a safe opportunity to recover it.

A hiker ascending the peak notified Pitkin County sheriff's deputies shortly before 8:30 a.m. Sunday of another hiker, in a group ahead of his, who fell off the east side of the mountain while approaching the Knife Edge. 

A helicopter eventually dropped rescuers on the mountain. They determined "that the hiker had injuries that were not compatible with life," according to sheriff's deputies.

Wednesday has been set as a tentative date for recovery.

Sunday's incident is the second fatality on 14,131-foot Capitol Peak in less than a month. Jake Lord, 25, of Parker, died ascending a couloir the morning of July 15.

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