A group of 15 people on a work retreat in Chaffee County, Colorado, became separated while descending Mount Shavano, a 14,000-foot peak in the Rocky Mountains. One man in the group got stranded on the mountain after becoming disoriented and getting caught in a storm. He spent the night exposed to freezing rain and high winds before regaining cellphone reception the next morning and calling 911 for help. Search and rescue teams, assisted by a helicopter and a drone, had initially been unable to locate him due to the harsh weather conditions.
The stranded hiker was eventually found and evacuated to a local hospital for further care. Chaffee County Search and Rescue commented on the hiker’s luck in regaining cell service and being able to call for help, as he was in a remote area that would have taken a while for search teams to reach.
The incident highlights the importance of being prepared and staying together while hiking in remote areas, as well as the lifesaving potential of having access to communication devices in emergency situations. The man’s ordeal ended with a successful rescue, thanks to the efforts of search and rescue teams and the hiker’s ability to call for help when he was in distress.
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