A rock slide in the Colorado mountains claimed the lives of five hikers and injured one Monday.
According to CBS News, the rocks toppled down onto the trail to Agnes Vaille falls in the Pike and San Isabel National Forest. The hikers were about a mile from the trailhead. They fell from Mount Princeton, a 14,197-foot peak at approximately 11 a.m.
USA Today reports that the five hikers were crushed underneath huge boulders and rocks as large as cars, which was confirmed by Chaffee County Sheriff Pete Palmer.
Because of the trail's level of ease, it is often recommended and is a popular tourist destination. The amount of rain and flooding in the state are thought to be one cause of the slide, but the weather was not necessarily a factor.
A 13-year-old girl escaped with a broken leg after being treated at the Children's Hospital in Denver.
The names and other information of the victims have not yet been released to protect the families of the affected hikers. Recovery efforts were stopped because of the danger of the situation, but the search is expected to resume Tuesday.