An ice climber has reportedly died in Colorado after taking a fall while unroped and not wearing boot traction.

According to a report from CBS News, the climber was with a partner in Clear Creek Canyon’s Little Eiger climbing area on Saturday when the incident occurred. The climber, reportedly in his mid-20s, walked onto a ledge to set a top anchor and slipped, falling 20 to 30 feet.

The climber’s partner made his way down to the road following the accident to flag down a motorist so that the motorist could travel to somewhere with cell connection to make a call to emergency services. Crews from multiple agencies arrived on scene to assist in the recovery of the climber’s body, with US Highway 6 closed for about two hours during that effort.

Additional details about the incident can be found here.

Condolences go out to those impacted by this climber’s death.

This tragic scenario highlights the risks of ice climbing and the nessescity of utilizing safety gear while participating in dangerous outdoor recreation activities. It also shows why it is important to carry GPS-based communication devices, like products from the Garmin inReach line, that can be used to contact emergency services when cellular connection isn’t available.

If you’re interested in supporting Colorado’s volunteer-powered search and rescue operation, one way to do so is through the purchase of a CORSAR card. It’s cheap, at only $5 per year.