According to a press release from the Pitkin County Sheriff’s Office, three climbers have been rescued by helicopter near the Maroon Bells. One of the climbers fell and was unable to hike out, prompting the rescue.

At approximately 6PM on Thursday, the sheriff’s office was notified of non-life threatening injuries that had occurred in the Bell Cord Couloir. While the injuries were non-life threatening, no one in the party was equipped to spend a night on the mountain. This is problematic, as temperatures get extremely cold overnight.

One of Colorado’s iconic destinations, the Maroon Bells often go by the name ‘ The Deadly Bells,’ due to their fragile rock posing additional risks to climbers and hikers. Consisting of hardened mudstone, the rock can easily crack and break. This has attributed to several deaths over the years, with 9 people passing away on the peaks since 2010.