The Summit County community is grieving the loss of a longtime teacher following an accident Tuesday.

Rick Karden, a Silverthorne resident, died Tuesday, July 29, a day before his 57th birthday, according to Summit County Coroner Amber Flenniken. The Summit High School teacher was climbing a route near Officers Gulch when he fell.

Karden had taught at Summit High for 25 years and planned on returning this upcoming school year. Summit School District Superintendent Tony Byrd said most knew Karden as “the computer science guy,” but he taught STEM subjects ranging from cybersecurity and video game design to architecture and engineering.

“It’s obviously profoundly impactful that he has passed, for his family first and foremost,” Byrd said. “You can feel the pain in the Summit community just when you talk to people. He was revered by so many, so this, I think, is going to be very hard for a long time.”

A statement prepared by Byrd and Summit High School co-principals Doug Blake and Brittny Acres said Karden worked to navigate and adapt to changes in technology and engineering so he could make those subjects accessible for his students.

“We can’t begin to scratch the surface of the many topics he brought to students,” the statement read.

Karden’s impact on the school district, especially the career technical education program, cannot be overstated, according to the co-principals.

“Some of his greatest accomplishments include building a state championship Solar Rollers team, establishing high-level participation from (Summit High) students at Colorado Technology Student Association competitions, and making Tech Club a mainstay for students,” the statement read.

Karden helped students receive certifications, connect with industry professionals and understand potential career paths. The statement credits him with increasing Summit High students’ acceptance rates to schools like Colorado School of Mines.

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The co-principals also wrote that Karden made efforts to eliminate “barriers to participation” for female students in subjects like computer science and engineering.

“Mr. Karden was more than a teacher,” the statement read. “He was a guide who opened doors to professional opportunities, inspired students to think differently about the world, and created spaces where exploration and growth thrived.”

Peder Hansen, a library media specialist for the district, worked with Karden in his previous roles as STEM director for the elementary school and school district. Hansen said he knew Karden for over 10 years and helped him with STEM competition events like VEX Robotics and Solar Rollers.

Karden took a leadership role this year in the statewide Solar Rollers program, where high school teams make and race solar-powered, radio-controlled vehicles, Hansen said. He also worked with students to prepare for Colorado Technology Student Association competitions.

“It was almost hard to meet with Rick,” Hansen said. “He always had kids in the lab. He always had kids working on extra projects.”

Hansen said Karden took on coaching for different competitions and teaching various subjects — like AP cybersecurity, which he piloted at Summit High — to give students as many opportunities as he could.

“I worked with him to create the first middle school computer science program (in Summit),” Hansen said. “In the last year, we were starting to build this pathway of kindergarten to 12th grade computer science. He was just always a great expert, always a great thought leader in computer science.”

Karden provided spaces for students interested in STEM and challenged them, Hansen said. 

“It took them to places that really helped them launch and helped them become their best selves,” Hansen said. “I think he’s the only one in the district that could have done that for some of those kids.”

Josie Speerstra, a 2025 Summit High graduate, said she did not think she could study computer science because she was “not good at math” in previous Summit Daily reporting. She credited Karden for showing her she was capable, and she will study the subject at Colorado School of Mines in the fall.

Hansen said Karden made a great partner at work who pursued new ideas for the district’s STEM programs “full bore.”

“He was an amazing, amazing human,” Hansen said. “I’m going to miss him.”

The district will be opening Summit High School to assist anyone grieving from 10 a.m. to noon on Thursday, July 31. Staff from Building Hope and Summit School District will be available at the school Thursday for students and staff.

Summit Daily was unable to reach Karden’s wife before publication.

Mental health and grief resources are available at BuildingHopeSummit.org/resources/adults/ for anyone in need of assistance.