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UPDATE: Rocky Mountain National Park SAR Successful

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Published Date

August 12, 2017

Search efforts were under way Saturday to find a Texan who failed to return from his bid to summit Longs Peak in Rocky Mountain National Park/NPS

Editor's note: This updates with the missing climber found.

A Texan who had planned to stand atop Longs Peak in Rocky Mountain National Park but failed to return as planned was found Saturday by searchers. Steve Elliott was cold but otherwise in good condition, and rangers were working to bring him off the mountain in threatening weather. 

The park's search-and-rescue team found the 60-year-old at the base of Clark's Arrow on the east face of Longs Peak above Chasm Lake at approximately 1:15 p.m.

"They assessed his condition and provided aid to warm him. Rescuers are now ascending with Elliott to the Loft and will descend to the Chasm Shelter," park spokeswoman Kyle Patterson said. "The group is encountering a severe thunderstorm with graupel (soft hail and snow pellets) and lightning. When rescuers reach Chasm Shelter they will determine next steps based on weather and time of day."

Mr. Elliott, from Rockwell, Texas, set out early Friday with plans to summit Longs Peak on the Clark’s Arrow/Loft Route and descend via the Keyhole Route. Weather conditions were stormy Friday morning with reported areas of ice on a variety of routes. When he failed to return on time, family members alerted park staff.

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