Hiker Abandoned by Teammates Fortunate to Survive

A work retreat on a Colorado mountain spiraled toward tragedy after a man was allegedly left alone by co-workers on his summit push.

Mountain in Colorado / Kristian Ranstrom

The foremost safety protocol when climbing high mountains or going on a leisurely hike with friends is to stick together. The best laid plans and preparation can’t always prevent dangerous curve balls from dismantling your outdoor adventure. Elite climbers know this, and consequently meet potential dangers and adversity by working together on solutions to avoid disaster. The age-old adage ‘all for one, and one for all’ applies in the mountains. Never leave your wingman on a hike, a trail run, or on the steep edges of a glacier. I have been on climbing expeditions when I needed help, and it was there. This was not the case in a recent office hiking retreat in Colorado where one worker found himself alone after 14 colleagues allegedly left him behind. (The lone hiker’s name and company were not released.

Bill Hutchinson reported on the event in his article for ABC News. The office outing occurred on 14,230-foot Mt. Shavano in Colorado’s San Isabel National Forest. Mt. Shavano is a popular peak for hikers and climbers. The 4.4-mile route to the summit typically starts at the Blank Gulch Trailhead, and gains 4,500 feet of elevation. The hike features steep switchbacks, rocky terrain, and unpredictable weather. Mt. Shavano is not awalk in the park. At those altitudes, I have seen weather blow up suddenly, leaving me in whiteout conditions – unable to discern up from down, or left from right. This is what allegedly occurred during the misguided work retreat.

"Initial reports to our communications center indicated a group of 15 hikers on an office 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 [area of the mountain] and returning from there. 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," Chaffee County, Colorado, Search and Rescue said in a statement.

One employee was left alone to complete the summit push while his 14 co-workers made it down Shavano safely, collecting path markers along the way. The solo climber did make it to the summit at approximately 11:30 a.m., but then things went south. On his descent he lost his way and used his cellphone to pin-drop his location. His co-workers alerted the man that he was lost and off the route. Rather he was on a steep bolder and scree field, and the situation began to spital toward crisis. The weather suddenly deteriorated as freezing rain and strong winds pounded the mountain, marginalizing visibility.

The man had been helplessly navigating his descent for over eight hours when his co-workers reported him missing to Chaffee County Search and Rescue. The rescue was launched, though hindered by the building storm. A rescue helicopter searched for the stranded climber to no avail, leaving the man alone on Shavano through the cold windy Friday night. He survived the perilous night. Saturday morning brought a miracle when the man’s cellphone suddenly regained a signal, allowing him to call 911 to report his location. The rescue team found the fallen hiker hunkered in a gully, and transported him to a nearby hospital. He was reported to be in stable condition.

"He reported being very disoriented on his descent and falling at least 20 times on the steep slopes. This hiker was phenomenally lucky to have regained cell service when he did, and to still have enough consciousness and wherewithal to call 911” said rescue officials. Clearly the lessons learned on this work retreat were starkly different than anticipated. The outcome of leaving a team member behind and alone could have been far more tragic. Stick together, and enjoy the journey safely.