U.S. Paralympics swim coach dies in fall in Colorado mountains

From the Aspen Daily News in Colorado:

The coach of the U.S. Paralympic swimming team died July 10 after losing his footing and falling hundreds of feet from a ledge on Capitol Peak.

James “Jimi” Raymond Flowers (pictured), 47, of Colorado Springs, and a friend reached the summit of the 14,130-foot mountain and were descending along the northwest ridge when he lost his footing crossing a section covered in snow.

His climbing partner reported seeing Flowers sliding at high speed through snow chutes and rock bands, coming to rest at about 12,500 feet in a rocky area. The point of the fall is believed to have been at about 13,000 feet.

“He was an amazing person. A great father. He was a very happy-go-lucky guy. He never met a stranger and didn’t have an enemy,” said his brother, Ed Flowers, who was at the family home in Colorado Springs on Saturday.

Flowers initially survived the fall. His climbing partner — described as a longtime friend from Colorado Springs — called his own wife at 2:45 p.m. Friday and she contacted authorities in Aspen. The Pitkin County Sheriff’s Office mobilized Mountain Rescue Aspen and a Flight for Life helicopter, the first of which had mechanical problems and was unable to depart from Frisco.

“He was still alive at the time. It just took a long time to get anyone up there,” said Adam Crider, a deputy with the sheriff’s office, adding that authorities maintained periodic cell phone contact with the climbing partner.

A Denver-based helicopter was sent and, due to the altitude, it initially did a flyover before offloading some weight and dropping a paramedic off. The chopper then picked up Mountain Rescue Aspen strike-team members one at a time and dropped them off on a knoll about a mile and a half from Flowers. A Mountain Rescue Aspen paramedic didn’t reach Flowers until 6:25 p.m.

When the paramedic arrived, Flowers didn’t have a pulse and he was not breathing. The paramedic performed CPR but it was apparently too late. Flowers reportedly had significant injuries to his head, legs and back. He was pronounced dead at the scene. His friend was flown out Friday evening. Mountain Rescue Aspen personnel spent the night in the area and transported Flowers’ body to another helicopter; his body was flown to Aspen Valley Hospital on Saturday.

Ed Flowers said his brother was an experienced climber, who had summitted many 14,000-foot peaks before.

“He was an excellent athlete, a world-class swimmer. He stayed in shape,” he said. “Jimi wasn’t some idiot up there messing around.”

Capitol Peak is a steep and technical 14,130-foot mountain and the 29th highest in Colorado.

“It sounds like he lost his footing and couldn’t catch himself,” Crider said.


“Most climbing accidents occur during descent. Fatigue and a relaxed mindset following an ascent can lead to inattention — which can be disastrous. The exact cause of this accident may never be known, but Mountain Rescue Aspen would like to remind climbers to stay focused on the way down,” read a statement authorities issued Saturday afternoon.

Flowers is survived by his wife, Sue, and their two children, Sam, 9, and Lauren, 4. He wore several hats at the U.S. Olympic Training Center over the years and was named Paralympic swim coach about a year ago.

“Jimi was an incredible coach who developed numerous Olympic and Paralympic champions,” said Stephanie Streeter, acting CEO of the U.S. Olympic Committee. “He was passionate about swimming, dedicated to helping others and was such an inspiration to athletes, colleagues and all who knew him. Most importantly, he was a devoted father and husband. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family at this extremely difficult time.”