Authorities say a man is dead after he apparently fell while ice climbing in western Colorado.
The Aspen Daily News reports (http://goo.gl/i7JVoy ) the man, who was only described as in his 40s and from Carbondale, was found dead Wednesday afternoon in a backcountry area near Redstone.
Investigators with the Pitkin County Sheriff's Office say the climber headed to the area early Wednesday morning and was reported missing when he did not return. One of his friends went in search of him and came across his body at the bottom of an ice pillar that had broken loose.
The climber had fallen from an unknown height and suffered severe trauma.
Deputy Ryan Voss says the area is still dangerous, and authorities are planning to recover the body Thursday.