Englewood mayor pro tem Joe Anderson dies while hiking Quandry Peak

Joe Anderson, 45, the mayor pro tem of Englewood, Colorado, died early Friday after collapsing while hiking the lower slopes of Quandary Peak, the state’s 11th-highest summit. Witnesses reported he was struggling to breathe before losing consciousness; hikers performed CPR until deputies and emergency crews arrived around 6:40 a.m., but he was pronounced dead at the scene. The coroner will later issue a cause of death.

Anderson, a former pastor, had been on the Englewood City Council since 2019, became mayor pro tem in December 2023, and was re-elected for a term through November 2027. Colleagues praised his role in post-flood infrastructure rebuilding and his work founding the nonprofit Change the Trend to combat homelessness. Englewood Mayor Othoniel Sierra and outgoing City Manager Shawn Lewis expressed deep sorrow, highlighting Anderson’s supportive leadership and personal kindness.