The Rockies are characterized by steep slopes covered with loose rock (talus). These slopes are above treeline and have little or no vegetation growing on them. Rocks slide down the slopes from time to time, often in large quantities (called rock slides). Rock slides often occur without anyone present. They know he dislodged a rock, probably unintentionally, that may have triggered the rock slide. The sliding rocks, some coming from above him, carried him around 150 feet down the slope. He ended up partially covered by rocks while the rock slide continued hundreds of feet further on down the slope. Another hiker/climber in his group (Mike P.) had just passed through the area where he landed. Thankfully he was past the area traversed by the rock slide and was not injured (no one else was). He was able to reach The Climber two minutes after his fall ended. He tried to give him CPR, but found him already dead. He was 43 years old.
Using a cell phone, they quickly reached emergency personnel in Glenwood Springs, Colorado. A fixed-wing airplane came and determined the location of the body. The plan was to retrieve his body using a helicopter the next morning. However, the weather closed in (wind, rain and snow) and prevented this for several days - even though ground crews went in each day in order to be available to assist in the retrieval. His body was successfully retrieved 4 days after his death and then returned to Virginia and buried near his boyhood home.