Many people dread office retreats with their co-workers, but the experience turned into a nightmare for one man who was left behind on a Colorado hiking trip and forced to survive a night alone in the wilderness last week.
The team bonding experience went awry on Aug. 23 when officials said they received a report of an overdue hiker who became separated from his co-workers while trekking Mount Shavano.
Chaffee County Search and Rescue officials said the man, who has not been named publicly, was hiking with 15 other office workers when he was left behind after summiting.
Rescuers joked the incident, which saw the man stranded alone overnight on the mountain without phone signal during a freezing rainstorm, “might cause some awkward encounters at the office.”
The man reached the summit of Mount Shavano alone around 11:30 a.m. local time and became “disoriented,” rescuers reported. His belongings, which had been left in a nearby boulder field to mark the descent path, were picked up and removed by the man’s co-workers as they hiked down ahead of him.
Solo, the man attempted his descent from the summit but took a wrong turn into a steep boulder and scree field toward Shavano Lake.
He sent his co-workers a location pin drop from his cellphone and was told to climb back up the slope to regain the trail. Around 3:30 p.m., the man sent a second pin noting his location near the trail.
“Shortly after that message, a strong storm passed through the area with freezing rain and high winds, and he again became disoriented, losing cell phone signal as well,” rescuers wrote.
The office team reported the man missing and a “hasty” rescue mission began around 9 p.m., but high winds and freezing rain made the summit unsafe. Search drones were also used during the mission but could not function well under the weather conditions.
Officials searching for the man by helicopter did not detect any sources of artificial light and were also unsuccessful. The man was wearing all black clothing.
The search continued throughout the night.
By morning, the storm had cleared, and the overdue hiker “luckily” regained cellphone service, rescuers said. He called 911 and told police he’d fallen at least 20 times on the steep slopes while trying to reach the base of the mountain.
He was injured during his last fall and was unable to get back up.
With his location known, rescuers were able to reach the man, who was stranded in a gully.
He was stabilized and brought to hospital, though his current condition and the state of his injuries are not known.
“This hiker was phenomenally lucky to have regained cell service when he did, and to still have enough consciousness and wherewithal to call 911,” search and rescue personnel 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.”
Officials used the opportunity to remind hikers never to travel alone and to wear bright clothing. Trekkers should also pack 10 essentials in their kits: navigation, sun protection, insulation, illumination, first-aid supplies, fire, repair kit and tools, nutrition, hydration and emergency shelter.
