In the late afternoon hours of Saturday, June 2, a Denver area man slipped and fell to his death near the Pioneer Point Overlooks on Highway 92.
The man, age 49, was walking with a family member near the edge of the Black Canyon, away from the designated overlooks, when he slipped and fell over a cliff that is approximately 900 feet above the canyon floor. The man, whose name has not been released at this time, was visiting the area on vacation with three family members.
The Gunnison dispatch office received a 911 call, activating emergency response services. Curecanti Park Rangers were first to arrive, and hiked down the Curecanti Creek Trail to confirm that the man had not survived the fall. His body was lowered down a small scree slope to the Morrow Point Reservoir, where it was transported by boat to Morrow Point Dam and turned over to the Gunnison County Coroner.
Pioneer Point Overlook is a popular viewpoint, picnic area, and trailhead located on Highway 92 just a few miles west of the Blue Mesa Dam. The overlook is 900 feet above the reservoir, and looks down at both the Curecanti Needle and Curecanti Creek Trail. Two designated overlooks have railings and rock walls.
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service
