Nineteen Mountain Rescue Aspen members rescued three college students from Colorado鈥檚 Maroon Bells on Monday. The hikers, all men studying at Colorado School of Mines, set off a personal locating beacon around 4 p.m. on Sunday. Rescuers found them stranded 100 feet below the North Maroon Peak Trail.
Deputy Jesse Steindler 聽that the MRA and local sheriff鈥檚 office were trying to 鈥渆rr on the side of caution鈥澛爄n calling out such a large crew, which included a Blackhawk helicopter operated by the Army National Guard.
The area around North Maroon Peak is notoriously dangerous. Just last month, rescuers there retrieved the body of 37-year-old climber聽Jarod Wetherell after he had been reported missing.
Sporadic snow and rain storms as well as avalanches made this week鈥檚 nighttime rescue hazardous. Five MRA field members were able to rappel down to the hikers from the helicopter, and then raise them back up to the trail to hike out.
About 10 hours after the beacon went off, everyone was safely off the mountain. No injuries were reported.