Patrick Eells Colorado hiker missing found dead after suffering traumatic injuries after fatal fall. Experienced mountain climber was traveling along Dallas Gilpin ridge.
An experienced mountaineer was found dead Monday from an apparent fall while hiking along Colorado trails, authorities said.
Rescuers discovered Patrick Eells, 29, of Telluride with traumatic injuries at about 2 p.m. on the Dallas-Gilpin ridge, about 3.5 miles north of Telluride according to the San Miguel County Sheriff.
Eells, described by authorities as a skilled mountain climber, had set out on a solo adventure the day before he was located, authorities said.
He ‘told his girlfriend Sunday he was going to hike from Telluride and run on Sneffels Highline and possibly summit Mt. Emma,’ according to the sheriff’s office.
Except he never made it.
By 11 p.m. Sunday, Eells was reported missing. His body was found about 15 hours later.
‘We extend our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Mr. Eells who so clearly was in the prime of his life,’ Sheriff Bill Masters said in a statement posted to Facebook.
It remained unclear how the experienced hiker came to fall.
Telluride, about 330 miles southwest of Denver, is a former mining town turned ski destination in the Colorado Rocky Mountains. The area boasts dozens of hiking trails and other outdoor recreations, which attract outdoor enthusiasts.
