Two hikers have died this week in separate falls from Boulder's iconic Flatirons.
At about 9 p.m. on Monday, the Boulder County Sheriff's Office received a report of a 42-year-old man who had failed to return home from a hike. The man's friends went looking for him and found his body on a rock ledge on the Second Flatiron.
On Wednesday afternoon, mountain rescue teams scrambled to look for a 27-year-old hiker who had been reported overdue and was last known to have been scrambling in the area of the Third Flatiron. Drones spotted his body and the Rocky Mountain Rescue Group (RMRG) said he appeared to have fallen around 75 feet.
Neither man has been identified pending notification to next of kin.
The distinctive Flatirons comprise five slanted triangular slabs of sandstone that form part of the foothills west of Boulder. They provide a paradise for climbers and hikers alike, and though their accessibility from town leads many to think climbing them is easy, rescue operations on them are not uncommon.
On October 2, after rescuing two people who became stuck, RMRG took to Instagram with a warning: "The Flatirons can be deceivingly challenging and dangerous."
If you plan to hike or climb in the Flatirons, do your research first and consider whether you really have the climbing skills and experience required. If not, go with a guide.
Always carry a headlamp, in case you get stuck on the Flatirons after dark, and know that some routes do require climbing gear such as a harness and helmet.
If you do find yourself stuck, RMRG urges you not to keep pressing on and to call 911 and ask for mountain rescue: "If you find yourself in trouble, don’t hesitate to call for help."
