CHAFFEE COUNTY, Colo. (KDVR) — A hiker was rescued throughout a snowstorm in Chaffee County after getting caught in a snowstorm with out a jacket.
In line with Chaffee County Search and Rescue-North, the hiker had bushwacked to summit a 13er on Nov. 8, however by 7 p.m. discovered themselves in misery.
The hiker had run out of meals and water and was sporting solely a cotton hoodie with no strategy to heat up.
CCSAR-N stated the hiker determined to descend down an avalanche chute somewhat than comply with the route used to ascend as a result of it was getting darkish.
Whereas the hiker was in a position to name for a rescue from their cellphone, a GPS sign was not out there. The hiker was in a position to share an approximate location of the chute used to descend.
Greater than 30 members of the north and south Chaffee County Search and Rescue groups had been concerned within the search, 25 of whom had been within the subject to go looking through the snowstorm that had moved in.
A number of avalanche chutes had been searched and at 12:42 a.m. rescuers discovered footprints within the recent snow that now measured greater than six inches deep.
The rescue staff adopted the footprints for greater than an hour, and round 2 a.m. they found what was described as “an uncommon wanting rock.” That rock ended up being the hiker, who was sitting upright within the fetal place and coated with snow.
The hiker was alive, however very hypothermic in response to rescuers. It took three hours to heat the hiker up sufficient to start the extraction course of, which included to make use of of ropes to decrease the hiker one part of the gully at a time.
An hour later, the hiker was in a position to stroll, and by 7 a.m., reached an ambulance for analysis.
CCSAR is utilizing this rescue as a reminder for hikers to be ready for all circumstances with the ten necessities and a communication gadget that features GPS that may be transmitted.