WINTER PARK, Colo.—A 20-year-old member of the University of Colorado-Boulder’s ski team who died in a climbing accident is being remembered as a gifted, driven athlete and inspiring teammate.
An estimated 1,500 people attended a memorial service for Spencer James Nelson Friday in Winter Park. Nelson died Aug. 14 while climbing one of the 14,000-foot Maroon Peaks near Aspen. Nelson, whose father was with him, was hit by a falling rock and fell about 600 feet into a canyon.
CU-Boulder head ski coach Richard Rokos says Nelson battled back from a serious motorcycle accident a year ago to get in shape for the ski season and help his team reach the NCAA championships, where it placed second.
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Information from: The Denver Post,
