Climbers fall 300-400 feet in Rocky Mtn. Park

ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK, Colorado – Two climbers have been rescued after falling 300 to 400 feet while descending a steep snow-covered slope in Rocky Mountain National Park.

Park spokeswoman Kyle Patterson says three family members and a climbing guide were tied together while descending a slope on Tuesday when one member of the group lost his footing, causing all four to fall to the bottom of a gorge.

All the climbers were injured. Rescuers carried out two of them.

Forty-year-old Steve Johnson of Boulder, a guide from the Colorado Mountain School in Estes Park, suffered a broken leg. He was released late Tuesday from an Estes Park hospital.

A 15-year-old climber suffered deep neck bruises but was released the next morning.

Details on the injuries to the other climbers weren’t released.