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SALIDA, Colo. – Office meetings likely had some awkward moments at a Colorado company after 15 coworkers took part in an office retreat to hike Mt. Shavano, only to return with just 14.
The group of 15 left a trailhead at sunrise on Aug. 23, with part of the group attempting to summit the mountain, while the others hiked to a lower-elevation point, according to Chaffee County Search & Rescue.
But one of the summit climbers was left behind to complete his final push alone. He made it to the top around 11:30 a.m. but became disoriented on his climb down, rescuers said. What’s worse, items left behind to mark the descent route had been carried away by the rest of the party.
Search crews rescue a missing hiker on Mt. Shavano.
(Teller County Search & Rescue)
His first descent found him stuck in a steep boulder field, so he sent a text to his coworkers with his position for navigation help. The coworkers informed him he was on the wrong route and to climb back up to the ridge and try again.
More than four hours later, as he neared the ridge, he sent another text to his coworkers for navigation help, only to get caught in a ferocious storm that blasted the ridge with freezing rain and strong winds. The hiker became disoriented again and lost cell service.
Search crews attempt to locate a missing hiker on Mt. Shavano.
(Chaffee County Search & Rescue)
Search teams received a call for help at 9 p.m. and quickly put together rescue crews and a drone pilot, rescuers said. However, continued freezing rain and high winds hampered search efforts.
But the search persevered through the night into the following morning until the hiker managed to regain cell service and call 911. He stated he was now stuck in a gully and had fallen some 20 times trying to descend the steep terrain, with the last fall leaving him unable to move any further.
Colorado’s Mt. Shavano
(Teller County Search & Rescue)
Now with a good location of the hiker, a rescue crew reached the scene and used technical rope maneuvers to bring him to eventual safety. The man was flown by helicopter to a local hospital to be checked out.
Rescue crews said the man was extremely fortunate to have regained cell service and maintained consciousness to call 911. Otherwise, it would have been quite some time before that area would have been searched.