The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
Hiker died from an apparent fall, rangers suspect
by Olivia Lueckemeyer
The body of Ryan Wood Moss, a 24-year-old backpacker from Colorado Springs, was recovered Monday afternoon from the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park.
According to a wilderness permit obtained by Moss for the Warner Route, he was supposed to return to his car on the South Rim on Saturday. When he did not return as expected, concerned family members contacted the park inquiring about his status.
Rangers began searching the area by foot early Saturday morning, which yielded no results. A helicopter search initiated on Monday, aided by cell phone pings, resulted in the discovery of Moss’ body at the base of a 500-foot cliff just off of the Warner Route, a press release from the National Park Service stated.
District interpreter for the Curecanti National Recreation Area Brant Porter said it is too early to tell whether or not Moss was lost. At this point, there is nothing to indicate any foul play.
“Part of the ongoing investigation is to try to determine the route of travel, and also what would have led to him being located where he was found,” Porter said. “It just depends on how he ended up where he was, and whether he came off of the cliff or whether he ended up coming over an extent of rock and then fell.”
Rangers recovered Moss’ body with assistance from a Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control helicopter early Tuesday morning, and continue to investigate the incident in hopes of determining the events that led to the apparent fall. Moss’ body was transferred to the Montrose County Coroner for further investigation. The cause and manner of death are pending the results of an autopsy scheduled at Montrose Memorial Hospital.
