A hiker died on Saturday morning after falling from a cliff between Heckert Pass and Pierre Lakes Basin in Pitkin County.

The hike to Pierre Lakes Basin is roughly 9 miles from the trailhead and is located around 12 miles from Aspen.

According to a news release from the Pitkin County Sheriff’s Office, crews were dispatched to the area at around 10:57 a.m., after emergency services received an SOS signal from a Garmin inReach device.

The message, which was sent by the victim’s friend, reported that a hiker had fallen down a gulley and over a cliff.

Rescue crews from Mountain Rescue Aspen (MRA) were able to stay in communication with the friend via Garmin inReach, while they made their way to the scene.

Rescuers eventually located the injured hiker using an unmanned aerial vehicle.

“Once the location of the injured hiker was known, the MRA members on site were able to confirm the injured hiker had succumbed to their injuries. HAATS [the High Altitude Aviation Training Site] and two MRA rescue technicians were able to extract the hiker’s body using a hoist and return to Aspen,” the release said.

The hiker that reported the accident was safely extracted from the field via helicopter.

“The Pitkin County Sheriff’s Office would like to remind those who come out to enjoy the backcountry that while exploring the backcountry areas of Pitkin County, it is invaluable to have an emergency communication device at all times,” the sheriff’s office said.

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