Colorado Hiker Captures Rockslide in Rocky Mountain National Park

Four hikers narrowly escaped a rockslide in Colorado’s Rocky Mountain National Park on June 28.

William Mondragon, who recorded this footage in upper Chaos Canyon, told Storyful he was mid-climb with a group of friends when they heard a boulder crashing down above them.

Mondragon said they didn’t panic until they realized it was a full-fledged rockslide.

“We ran for our lives. The boulder we were climbing was covered in debris. We could have been killed,” Mondragon told Storyful.

Local news outlets reported that the “large rockfall event” occurred at about 4:30 pm.

As of June 30, all areas in Chaos Canyon to the west of Lake Haiyaha were closed because of the rockfall, according to the Rocky Mountain National Park Facebook page.

The closure will remain in effect until “projected rainstorms pass and the slope can be evaluated by NPS geologists," the park said. Credit: William Mondragon via Storyful

Video Transcript

[ROCKS TUMBLING]

WILLIAM MONDRAGON: Oh my God. Oh my God.

[THUD]

No way. Dude, the whole thing's sunk into the ground.

(SHOUTING) Oh my God! Dude, it's all going.

[AUDIO OUT]

Going.

[DISTORTED AUDIO OF ROCKS CRASHING]

Oh my God. Oh my God! No way. Dude, the whole thing's sunk into the ground. (SHOUTING) Oh my God! Dude, it's all going.

[AUDIO OUT]

Going.

[DISTORTED AUDIO OF ROCKS CRASHING]