DENVER (AP) - An accomplished Colorado brewer has died after falling more than 500 feet (152 meters) while climbing some of the state’s most well-known mountains, authorities said.
Jason Buehler, 43, of Niwot died Friday after falling from a ridgeline while crossing from South Maroon Peak to North Maroon Peak near Aspen, the Pitkin County Sheriff’s Office said.
Two other climbers who witnessed the fall notified authorities and a helicopter team found his body, the office said.
Buehler worked as head brewer for the Denver Beer Company. He was married and had three children.
In a Facebook post Monday, the brewery on Platte Street called the award-winning brewer “magnetic.”
“If you were lucky enough to have a beer with him, you were damn lucky,” it said. “From Ohio to Mexico, Brazil, Platte St. and beyond, he leaves friends wishing for just one more. He shared his knowledge with other brewers and spent his time learning about unique local ingredients and brewing culture.”
Buehler’s death was the 10th fatal climbing accident since 2000 on Maroon Bells, as the two peaks in the Elk Mountains are called, The Aspen Times reported.
They are among the most photographed mountains in Colorado, but the layers of weak sedimentary rock that give them their reddish hue also make them dangerous to climb. The rock can easily come loose, causing climbers to lose their footing and fall.
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