A body found in Rocky Mountain National Park has been identified as Blake Kieckhafer, a 23-year-old man who disappeared after getting dropped off at the Colorado park.
In an update this week, the Larimer County Coroner’s Office announced that the deceased had been “positively and scientifically identified” as the Nebraska man, who was last seen after being dropped off at the park on Aug. 7.
An autopsy conducted on Thursday, Aug. 14, found that Kieckhafer died of multiple blunt force injuries and his manner of death was ruled an accident.
“Based on the circumstances of the scene and death investigation, it is believed the decedent died on August 9, 2025, from an accidental fall,” a spokesperson for the coroner’s office said, noting they will not be releasing any additional information.
A Rocky Mountain National Park spokesperson announced on Thursday, Aug. 14, that authorities found remains likely associated with Kieckhafer. His body was recovered above Emerald Lake.
“Rocky Mountain National Park rangers completed an on-scene investigation and recovery operations took place by helicopter,” a park spokesperson said in a statement. “His body was flown to a landing zone in Rocky Mountain National Park and transferred to the Larimer County Coroner’s Office.”
Search efforts began after Kieckhafer’s family reported him missing to park rangers on Aug. 11, a National Park Service spokesperson said in a statement.
Kieckhafer was last spotted in the Upper Beaver Meadows area of the park on Aug. 7, around 5:20 p.m. local time, when he was dropped off by a ride share service, the NPS spokesperson said.
A body found in Rocky Mountain National Park has been identified as Blake Kieckhafer, a 23-year-old man who disappeared after getting dropped off at the Colorado park.
In an update this week, the Larimer County Coroner’s Office announced that the deceased had been “positively and scientifically identified” as the Nebraska man, who was last seen after being dropped off at the park on Aug. 7.
An autopsy conducted on Thursday, Aug. 14, found that Kieckhafer died of multiple blunt force injuries and his manner of death was ruled an accident.
“Based on the circumstances of the scene and death investigation, it is believed the decedent died on August 9, 2025, from an accidental fall,” a spokesperson for the coroner’s office said, noting they will not be releasing any additional information.
A Rocky Mountain National Park spokesperson announced on Thursday, Aug. 14, that authorities found remains likely associated with Kieckhafer. His body was recovered above Emerald Lake.
“Rocky Mountain National Park rangers completed an on-scene investigation and recovery operations took place by helicopter,” a park spokesperson said in a statement. “His body was flown to a landing zone in Rocky Mountain National Park and transferred to the Larimer County Coroner’s Office.”
Search efforts began after Kieckhafer’s family reported him missing to park rangers on Aug. 11, a National Park Service spokesperson said in a statement.
Kieckhafer was last spotted in the Upper Beaver Meadows area of the park on Aug. 7, around 5:20 p.m. local time, when he was dropped off by a ride share service, the NPS spokesperson said.
