Falling rock the size of a microwave strikes climber, Colorado rescuers say

A falling rock described as being the size of a microwave severely injured a climber on a Colorado mountain, rescuers reported.

The climber, who was not wearing a helmet, fell about 30 feet after being struck on Little Bear Peak on Sunday, July 27, Alamosa Volunteer Search And Rescue said in a July 29 news release.

Other climbers who saw the accident activated the SOS feature on a Garmin Satellite device to alert authorities, rescuers said.

A helicopter dropped three rescuers nearby while others drove to the scene in specialized vehicles, the team said.

A fellow climber who is a nurse assisted the injured climber while rescuers made their way through the rugged terrain, officials said.

A Colorado Army National Guard helicopter hoisted the injured climber and transferred them to another helicopter for medical care en route to a hospital, rescuers said.

The helicopter returned to pick up some of the rescuers while the others returned to their vehicles, the team said.

Little Bear Peak is about a 235-mile drive south from Denver.

This story was originally published July 30, 2025 at 10:52 AM with the headline "Falling rock the size of a microwave strikes climber, Colorado rescuers say."