Three individuals, including two vacationers and a guide, tragically lost their lives when the 2022 Jeep Gladiator they were riding in fell approximately 250 feet from a well-liked off-road path close to Imogene Pass in Colorado.
Montrose Press disclosed that the event unfolded on Monday along Ouray County Road 361, commonly known as Camp Bird Road, as they journeyed from Yankee Boy Basin towards Ouray. This location is in close proximity to the off-road destination Imogene Pass, where one of the passengers had apparently taken a picture moments before the tragic incident.
Authorities from the Colorado State Patrol received a distress call about the incident at 12:32 p.m. and subsequently discovered the white Jeep positioned hundreds of feet below the roadway. It appeared that the vehicle had slid off the edge of the trail, plummeting 100 feet before landing on its roof, then continuing to roll for an additional 140 feet down the slope. The driver was thrown from the Jeep and was located near Canyon Creek’s edge. Unfortunately, the two Arizona travelers, who were passengers in the vehicle, were found lifeless inside.
The recovery of the wrecked Jeep was finalized on Tuesday, while investigations continue to ascertain the cause behind this tragic accident.
An embedded video illustrates the steepness of Camp Bird Road and the perilous drop-offs:
This unfortunate event marks the second deadly off-road mishap on Ouray County routes this month. Back on Sept. 5, a man hailing from Mesa, Arizona lost his life during an ATV accident that caused his vehicle to tip over and roll down a trail close to Imogene Pass, resulting in injuries to his spouse. The area sees a substantial number of off-road accidents due to its popularity among outdoor enthusiasts who frequent the nearby town of Telluride and explore the trails in the vicinity. The rugged terrains combined with heavy traffic have prompted the San Miguel County Sheriff to recommend that inexperienced drivers avoid the nearby Black Bear Pass.
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