An Illinois banker spending the afternoon with his family at Idaho Spring’s St. Mary’s Glacier — an hour west of Denver — fell 300 feet to his death, according to Alpine Rescue Team.

The man was standing on a ridge above the lake when the corner crumbled or he stumbled, causing him to fall halfway down the steep mountain — about 300 feet — Alpine Rescue Team spokesperson Jake Smith said.

David Mecklenburg — a 56-year-old from Rockford, Illinois — was visiting Colorado and on a hike with his family when he fell to his death, according to the Clear Creek County Coroner’s Office. His death remains under investigation.

Alpine Rescue Team initially responded to reports of a stranded man at the lake around 2:20 p.m. Thursday, but when the 25-member team received new information reporting the man was unconscious and had taken a severe fall, they upgraded to an emergency response, turned on their lights and sirens and called in a Flight for Life helicopter, Smith said.

When crews arrived at the scene, they found Mecklenburg had died and turned toward recovering his body, Smith said. The operation took about four hours.

Smith said Mecklenburg was alone on the slope and a bystander at the busy lake called for help after his fall.

Mecklenburg worked as the executive vice president and chief operating officer for Stillman Bank — an independently owned community bank with six locations across Illinois.

“David has been a valued member of the team for the past 30 years and will be deeply missed,” the bank said in a statement Monday. “…In all respects, he was the consummate bank professional but was an even better friend, husband, father and person.”

St. Mary’s Glacier is 45 miles west of Denver and is generally considered a moderately challenging route, according to AllTrails.The lake lies a short distance after the trailhead before the trial continues to the glacier and the “obvious route” disappears.

Snow still covered large portions of the trail Thursday, making hiking difficult, according to multiple reviews and photos from AllTrails users. Hikers headed out on this route during snowy winter months, or who plan to explore the glacier itself, need technical gear to complete the route.

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Originally Published: June 14, 2024 at 10:11 a.m.