Rescuers Track Snowy Footprints to Hiker Stranded in Rocky Mountains with Inadequate Winter Gear
A poorly equipped hiker in the Colorado Rockies was saved after searchers tracked footprints in the snow, leading them to the hiker who was extremely cold but still alive
The hiker, who was ill-equipped for the harsh conditions at an altitude of over 13,000 feet in the Colorado Rockies, was successfully rescued after searchers traced footprints in freshly fallen snow. Rescuers discovered the hiker "alive but severely hypothermic," according to a statement released by Chaffee County Search and Rescue North. The hiker had been caught off guard by the sudden bad weather and found themselves without water, food, or proper attire, only wearing a cotton hoodie and lacking means to keep warm.
As darkness loomed and hypothermia began to take hold, instead of descending the same route, the person made the decision to navigate through an avalanche chute in an attempt to reach a road.
Around 12:42 a.m. on Thursday, a search and rescue team consisting of approximately 25 members was deployed to locate the missing hiker amidst a severe snowstorm, as stated in the news release. After spotting footprints in 6 to 8 inches of recently accumulated snow, one of the team members commenced tracking them, as mentioned in the news release.
At around 2 a.m., the team persisted in tracking the footprints until they stumbled upon a peculiar rock, according to the statement. However, upon closer examination, they discovered that it was not a rock at all, but rather a person sitting upright in a fetal position, completely coated in snow.
The hiker was described as being "alive but severely hypothermic," and the rescue team dedicated three hours to warming them up before initiating the challenging task of bringing them down the gully.
The rescue team reported that ropes were initially employed to lower the hiker in separate stages. However, once they expressed confidence in their ability to walk, the hiker independently descended the remaining portion of the slope to a waiting ambulance for evaluation. Chaffee County is located in central Colorado on the eastern side of the Rocky Mountains, adjacent to the Continental Divide.
