Skip to Content

Body believed to be missing man discovered at Rocky Mountain National Park

Canva, RMNP

ESTES PARK, Colo. (KRDO) – Rangers at Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP) say they've recovered a body believed to be that of a man from Omaha, Nebraska, who was last seen a week ago.

Blake Kieckhafer, 23, was reported missing to park rangers by his family on Monday, Aug. 11. He was last seen in the Upper Beaver Meadows area at around 5:20 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 7, when he was dropped off in the area by a rideshare service, the park said.

Blake Kieckhafer. Courtesy: Rocky Mountain National Park

Upper Beaver Meadows is on the east side of the park, about a mile west of the Beaver Meadows Entrance.

According to a press release from RMNP, the investigation into Kieckhafer's disappearance led to search efforts in the Emerald Lake area on Wednesday, Aug. 13. Over 80 people were involved in the search.

During the search, a body believed to be Kieckhafer was found just above Emerald Lake, the park said.

RMNP rangers completed an on-scene investigation, and the body was recovered by helicopter and flown to a landing zone before being transferred to the Larimer County Coroner’s Office.

The coroner's office will confirm the identification and release additional information when it is available, the park said.

Stay up to date with the latest local news, sports, and investigations by downloading the KRDO13 app. Click here to download it from the Apple App Store. Android users can download it from Google Play here.

Article Topic Follows: News

Jump to comments ↓

Sadie Buggle

Sadie has been a digital and TV news producer at KRDO13 since June 2024. She produces the station’s daily noon show and writes digital articles covering politics, law, crime, and uplifting local stories.

This is her first industry job since graduating from the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism in May 2024. Before that, she managed and edited for ASU’s independent student publication, The State Press.

BE PART OF THE CONVERSATION

KRDO NewsChannel 13 is committed to providing a forum for civil and constructive conversation.

Please keep your comments respectful and relevant. You can review our Community Guidelines by clicking here

If you would like to share a story idea, please submit it here.