New York man dies after falling 400 feet while hiking Wilson Peak

A 53-year-old man from New York died Wednesday in San Miguel County after falling hundreds of feet while hiking Wilson Peak, sheriff’s officials said.

The man was hiking alone on the Rock of Ages trail when he fell 300 to 400 feet and hit his head, according to the San Miguel County Sheriff’s Office.

The 4.3-mile trail is about 15 miles southwest of Telluride and is steep, rocky and used by hikers to reach Wilson Peak, Mount Wilson and El Diente, according to the National Forest Service.

Another climber saw the man fall and called 911 but, by the time rescuers reached the man, he had already died from his injuries, sheriff’s officials said.

The body — who has not been identified by sheriff’s officials — was recovered from the mountain by a rescue helicopter team out of Durango and transferred to the San Miguel County Coroner.