‘Disoriented’ hiker spends night on mountain after co-workers leave him

A hiker spent the night alone on a frigid Colorado mountain after rescuers said his co-workers left him behind to summit on his own.

He became disoriented when he reached the summit and couldn’t find the proper route back down — and to make matters worse, his co-workers had picked up belongings they had left to mark the trail on their way back down, Chaffee County Search and Rescue South said on Facebook.

Rescue teams were activated at about 9 p.m. Friday, Aug. 23, to find the overdue hiker, who was wearing all black on the Mt. Shavano standard route, the group said in the Aug. 25 post.

“Initial reports from our communications center indicated a group of 15 hikers on an office work retreat had left the Blanks Cabin Trailhead at sunrise that morning, with a group completing summit attempts and a separate group ascending to the saddle and returning from there,” the group said. “In what might cause some awkward encounters at the office in the coming days and weeks, one member of their party was left to complete his final summit push alone.”

That’s considered a hiking no-no, especially when it comes to navigating the extreme terrain on Colorado 14ers, a term used to distinguish mountain peaks of at least 14,000 feet of elevation. Air pressure is lower at higher elevations, meaning hikers can’t get as much oxygen as they’re used to.

The hiker summited the peak at 11:30 a.m. but couldn’t find the route down — and “he found himself in (a) steep boulder and scree field” of loose rock debris that broke off and fell from mountain cliffs, rescuers said.

“Concerned for himself, he sent a pindrop to co-workers already descending,” rescuers said. They told him he was on the wrong route and that he should climb back up the steep slope to find the trail.

He had nearly reached the traverse between Shavano and a nearby smaller peak known as Tabeguache just before 4 p.m. and sent another pin and texted the group that he was near the trail, rescuers said.

“Shortly after that message, a strong storm passed though the area with freezing rain and high winds, and he again became disoriented, losing cell phone signal as well,” rescuers said.

Chaffee County Search and Rescue South sent two teams and a drone pilot from Blanks Cabin when the group received the 9 p.m. page, rescuers said. The teams worked from the hiker’s last known point on the ridge between Shavano and Tabeguache, and focused on clearing the standard route from that area to a nearby drainage area at the mountain’s alpine lake.

“During the course of the night, teams encountered high winds and freezing rain, which made reaching the summit unsafe, and presented many difficulties for the drone operator,” the group said.

A rescue helicopter also flew several search patterns throughout the area but didn’t find “any sources of artificial light apart from search teams anywhere on the mountain.”

Despite the treacherous storm, the rescue teams stayed in the field until 9 a.m. the next morning, “finding no trace” of the missing hiker, the group said.

Nine more rescue teams from the surrounding area joined the search at 10 a.m. — just as the hiker regained enough cell service to call 911, the group said.

He was in a gully above a drainage and “reported being very disoriented on his descent, and falling at least 20 times on the steep slopes below” the gully, the group said.

“After the last fall he was unable to get back up, but very luckily regained enough cell service to make his call,” the group said.

Rescuers reached the gully and lifted the hiker using technical rope lowers, the group said. Rescuers stabilized and evaluated him, then took him to a hospital for further medical care.

Everyone recreating in the backcountry should “always hike with a partner, pack some bright clothing” and remember to pack first aid and emergency equipment for “minor injuries, sudden weather changes, or unexpected delays,” items known as the “10 essentials” of hiking, rescuers said.

“This hiker was phenomenally lucky to have regained cell service when he did, and to still have enough consciousness and wherewithal to call 911,” rescuers said. “Though he was located in a tertiary search area, it would have been some time before teams made it to that location on their own.”

Several people commented on the post urging the hiker to find a new job or sue the company.

“To the hiker. I’m so sorry you had to hike alone. That is not OK,” someone said. “I hope you recover quickly from your long hike and find a new job.”

“Wouldn’t want co-workers like these,” someone else said.

One person commented saying the terrain on the mountain is treacherous.

“Wow… I’ve been in that area (on purpose)… That’s some difficult terrain!”