Jeff Deardorff
(Photo Credit: Custer County Search and Rescue)
An experienced hiker who went hiking in the Sangre De Cristo mountain range last Friday was found dead. Several teams with the Custer County Search and Rescue spent three days looking for Jeff Deardorff after he was reported as missing. Rescue teams were assisted by the “Flight for Life” helicopter.
Deardorff summited the Crestone Needle at around noon on Friday. He sent pictures of his summit to his family and he wasn’t heard from again. Friends reportedly found his car and alerted authorities. On Sunday, a rescue team started the search for Deardorff and he was spotted by helicopter at the base of the mountain near Cottonwood Lake. It’s believed he was descending from the summit when he fell 1,000 feet to his death. According to his friends, Deardorff was an experienced climber who had summited a majority of Colorado’s 14’ers.
The Crestone Needle is one of Colorado’s most dangerous climbs and it’s claimed many lives with its difficult terrain.
