LAKE COUNTY, Colorado (CBS4) – The Lake County Search and Rescue credits the walker’s preparation for the good result when he is in trouble. The hiker called the search and rescue team on Friday night, after getting too tired and dizzy to continue.
(credit: Lake County Search and Rescue)
He was on the Colorado trail below the northeast ridge of Mount Massive. The teams say the climber felt comfortable holding out overnight until he could be rescued.
“The guinea pig was properly prepared for winter conditions, so when they caught fire, they were able to pitch their tent, curl up in their sleeping bag and get the rest their body needed,” declared Lake County Search and Rescue on the networks social. “This prevented rescuers from having to position themselves in the middle of the night, which is significantly more dangerous than daytime missions.”
At 6 am the next morning, 10 crew members spread out to find the hiker starting at the Fish Hatcher Trailhead. A team of snowmobiles first met the man at around 9:30 am and then connected with ground teams.
At 11 am, everyone had already descended the mountain.
Although SAR officials say the hiker made the right call by calling them before their situation was fatal, he still underestimated the risk.
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