A dead Douglas fir tree blown down by winds fell on two hikers in Rocky Mountain National Park near Allenspark on Tuesday, killing one of them.

Park spokesman Larry Frederick confirmed that a 68-year-old man was killed by the tree as he and a friend, also 68, were hiking on Sandbeach Lake Trail in the Wild Basin area in the southeast corner of the park.

"The one man was stunned by the hit," Frederick said. "But he was able to see that the other man was unresponsive."

The friend hiked about two miles to the Wild Basin Lodge and Events Center, where employees helped him call 911 about an hour after the tree fell.

He suffered minor injuries and was taken to Estes Park Medical Center to be examined.

Frank Waterhouse, building and grounds manager at the lodge and events center, said the wind had been gusting all day in the area.

Waterhouse said the surviving hiker returned from the scene and reported that his partner was dead. He said both men were from Boulder.

"He said (his friend) had no pulse and wasn't breathing," Waterhouse said. "He was calm and concerned for his friend, a little shaken but mostly concerned for his buddy."

Winds were gusting at up to 40 to 50 mph.

"When the rangers first arrived, they could hear other trees being blown over," Frederick said. "So we were very cautious sending somebody up."

As the winds died down, rescue crews were able to reach the victim's body. A nurse with the Allenspark Fire Department determined the hiker had suffered fatal injuries and severe trauma.

A group of 11 rescuers, including park rangers and members of the Rocky Mountain Rescue Group, helped carry the dead hiker back to the trailhead, where they gave his body to a member of the Boulder County coroner's office.