Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP) officials identified the body of a climber who died after falling from 30 feet as that of Corey Stewart, a 22 year old Colorado State University Student from Newton, New Jersey. Stewart was a sophomore studying natural resources, recreation and tourism in the Warner College of Natural Resources and was living in Fort Collins.
A helicopter retrieved his body Friday morning after a caller notified Park rangers via cell phone around 12:30 p.m. Thursday that a man fell about 30 to 50 feet while climbing Batman Pinnacle on Lumpy Ridge, a prominent rock climbing area within RMNP and about three miles north of Estes Park.
People at the scene tried to revive him by giving cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) minutes after he fell. But he did not survive and died of his fatal injuries.
An autopsy by the Larimer County Coroner's Office ruled the death as accidental and revealed that it was caused by traumatic head injuries.
Kyle Patterson, a park spokeswoman said that the man's body was located approximately 2 miles from the Lumpy Ridge Trailhead in steep, rugged and rough terrain with loose rock and scree. The weather also played its part. Harsh thunderstorms, massive lightning and heavy rain were witnessed in the area on Thursday afternoon. It resulted in wet and slick rocks.
Due to the dangerous conditions and location of the man's body, recovery efforts were delayed until Friday morning. Rangers remained with the body all night on the mountain.
