Hiker falls 300 feet down steep snow slope to his death in Colorado

A hiker who became stranded on a band of cliffs in Colorado fell to his death Thursday, according to the rescue team that recovered his body.

The fall happened at St. Mary’s Glacier in the Arapaho National Forest, about 40 miles west of Denver, the Alpine Rescue Team wrote in a Facebook post on Friday.

"He fell approximately 300 feet down a steep snow slope that was intersected by a couple cliff bands," Jake Smith, a spokesperson for Alpine Rescue Team, told USA TODAY on Friday.

Someone called the rescue team for help at 2:20 p.m. The agency isn't sure exactly who called but they suspect it was a bystander at St. Mary's Lake below who witnessed the fall, Smith said.

The caller mistakenly reported that someone was stranded but the man had died instantly.

Because the call initially came in as a person stranded, the agency sent 25 members out for a non-emergency response, according to the rescue team. While trying to get to the hiker, the team learned he had fallen and was unresponsive, prompting the team to upgrade the rescue mission to an emergency and deploy Flight For Life Colorado, a medical transport helicopter service.

Rescuers find hiker dead

The team climbed to the hiker and found the him dead, the Alpine Rescue Team said. They brought the hiker down the slope and out of the field.

"It took very little time to find where this individual had fallen, given the number of bystanders," Alpine Rescue Team told USA TODAY. "We were able to climb to his position in about 20 minutes once our first team was on scene."

While mountain lovers can go to the area year-round, it can be treacherous in the winter and spring because of snow and ice. One recent visitor to the area wrote on hiking website AllTrails that "there is some snow on the trail but nothing you can’t walk around."

The official trail starts just off a road and involves a moderate climb past St. Mary's Lake and up to the glacier. The trail passes by the lake at water level but is surrounded by various slopes and a peak called Fox Mountain.

The spokesperson from Alpine Rescue Team said the terrain may seem harmless but it can pose a significant risk for hikers without the proper training and equipment.

"It's important for folks to know there is never any charge for calling for rescue, or for search and rescue operations," the group told USA TODAY.

The agency said those who called for help did the right thing.

“Our sincerest condolences to our subject and their family,” the Alpine Rescue Team posted online.

Saleen Martin is a reporter on USA TODAY's NOW team. She is from Norfolk, Virginia – the 757. Follow her on Twitter at@SaleenMartin or email her atsdmartin@usatoday.com.