Craig Daily Press / Routt County Search and Rescue finds woman dead on Rabbit Ears Pass

Archive for Friday, November 5, 2010

Foul play ruled out in death of local 37-year-old

November 5, 2010, 1:28 p.m.

Updated: November 5, 2010, 10:17 p.m.

Steamboat Springs — A 37-year-old Routt County woman was found dead Friday about 50 yards off of a popular cross-country skiing and snowshoeing trail on Rabbit Ears Pass.

The woman, whose identity was not released, was found a little before 4 p.m. by Routt County Search and Rescue volunteers.

The search began earlier in the afternoon and was in response to a call to Routt County Communications on Thursday evening from a man who was suspicious about a car that had been parked at the Bruce’s Trail trailhead for several days.

Coroner Rob Ryg said the cause of death has not been determined. However, he ruled out foul play. The Routt County Sheriff’s Office is handling the investigation.

A call to Investigator Mike Curzon was not immediately returned Friday afternoon.

In a second, unrelated search Friday, a lost 64-year-old hunter was found in good condition a few hours after being separated from his hunting partner.

The man was found while a Search and Rescue team still was en route to the area about 10 miles south of Hayden.

Search and Rescue spokeswoman Dawn Alperti said the two hunters were scouting a flat, open area and were in sight of each other when one of the men disappeared. His friend tried unsuccessfully to find him and then called for help.

It was not clear who eventually found the hunter or where he had gone.