Free-solo climber falls to her death at Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado

Woman from town of Boulder fell more than 150 metres, National Park Service says

The sun sets over the Rocky Mountains in Colorado. Photo: USA TODAY Sports

A 26-year-old woman died after a fall while free-solo climbing at Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado.

The National Park Service said the woman, who was from the town of Boulder, fell about 150 metres while climbing the Four Aces of Blitzen Ridge.

Free-solo climbing is a form of rock climbing in which people do not use ropes or gear.

Her climbing partner, a 27-year-old man who was uninjured, called park rangers after her fall on Sunday.

A search and rescue team at Rocky Mountain National Park rescued the man via helicopter with assistance from the Colorado Air National Guard.

Rescue team members hiked to an area above Ypsilon Lake at the national park to prepare for a “helicopter longline recovery”, the NPS said. Her body was later transferred to a medical examiner's office.

The NPS said the woman's identity would be released after next of kin are notified.