On May 14, a man was found dead in a gully on Boulder’s Second Flatiron. That man has since been identified as 33-year-old Ryan Kelly

An Apple Crash Detection alert from an Apple device originating in the area of Boulder’s Chautauqua Park alerted authorities about a potential incident around 11:30 a.m. on May 14. Aside from the alert, no other information was available with no other calls received from the area and no witness reports of a fall.

Emergency responders arrived to determine if someone was in need of help, but it wouldn’t be until an off-duty member of the Rocky Mountain Rescue Group conducted a search while climbing in the area that a male’s body was found, later determined to be Ryan Kelly. Kelly was found about halfway up the Second Flatiron in a gully with no rope or other climbing equipment at the scene. Given the lack of other gear, the preliminary investigation pointed to Kelly solo scrambling up the formation at the time of his death.

Rocky Mountain Rescue Group conducted a technical extrication to get Kelly’s body off the formation. While there was no indication in the official report regarding what may have caused a potential fall, some climbers who were in the area that day have since come forward online to report that a rockfall was witnessed and may have been a factor.

Scrambling without ropes has long been a popular activity on Boulder’s Flatirons, though it comes the same extreme risk of serious injury or death that free soloing does given the lack of safety equipment. While this activity is commonly referred to as ‘scrambling’ in Boulder due to the lower technical nature of routes that are typically being climbed compared to most rock climbing, all established routes up the Second Flatiron come with fifth-class crux moves. The extreme nature of climbing the Second Flatiron tends to get downplayed by some, though no one should attempt a climb on this formation without understanding the risk and possessing the skills to do so successfully – the use of safety equipment is advised. Even with the skills and experience, mistakes and unpredictable forces of nature can still result in dire consequences.

Routes that travel up the Second Flatiron mean scrambling about 600-plus feet. The Second Flatiron is generally considered to be the least technical of the Boulder’s Flatiron group of formations.

Condolences go out to those impacted by Ryan Kelly’s death.

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