Authorities today identified the 57-year-old mountaineer who fell in Rocky Mountain National Park as Sterling Jordan of Loveland.
Jordan, a network analyst at Aims Community College’s Loveland campus, fell 50 feet and survived more than 24 hours in the elements before he was found by backcountry skiers Tuesday morning.
He suffered extensive injuries after tumbling down the Ptarmigan Glacier near Notchtop Couloir. He told officials today that he thinks he was swept off the mountain by high winds, which still howled at up to 75 mph as park rangers brought Jordan down Tuesday evening.
The skiers who found him have not been named, but a press conference is slated Friday, where they will tell their story, according to the National Park Service.
Efforts to reach Jordan and his family today were not successful. He was transferred today from Estes Park Medical Center to Medical Center of the Rockies in Loveland., where he was listed in serious condition.
“We’re only now becoming aware of the detail’s of Sterling’s accident,” said Aims Community College spokewsoman Amy Kegg. “He’s a beloved employee, and we’re here to support him anyway we can.”
