Man rescued from Colorado mountain after his shoes froze solid, leaving him unable to move
Rescuers said the team located the missing man above a small cliff at 1:00 a.m. He was unable to move as his shoes had frozen solid.
(Photo credit: Alpine Rescue Team)
A dramatic rescue unfolded on Mount Bierstadt in Colorado, roughly 30 miles west of Denver, late Friday night after a 20-year-old climber failed to check in with his father, prompting an urgent search operation. The young man had set out from the winter trailhead early that morning, with instructions for his father to call 911 if he hadn't made contact by 8 p.m.
As the clock struck midnight, rescuers from the Alpine Rescue Team, who had begun their search from Guanella Pass, spotted a faint light flashing about a mile north of the summer trail creek crossing. Racing against time and the frigid night, the team navigated towards the signal, ultimately locating the stranded climber perched above a small cliff band around 1 a.m. Saturday.
(Photo credit: Alpine Rescue Team)
The climber's shoes had frozen in the icy nighttime temperatures which had immobilized him. "He was unable to move as his shoes had frozen solid," the Alpine Rescue Team reported. Temperatures in the Denver area reached a low of 25 degrees F late Friday night.
The rescuers swiftly warmed his feet and carefully belayed him down to safer ground. By 3 a.m., the team and the climber had successfully hiked and skied back to safety.
(Photo credit: Alpine Rescue Team)
This near-tragic event underscores the critical importance of preparation and communication in outdoor adventures. "Always share your plans and a cutoff time with someone not going on the trip," urged the Alpine Rescue Team. "Without knowing to call 911, our subject's father may not have notified the team in time. Bring a light source; had our subject not had a light source, it’s unlikely he would have been able to signal the team."
Thanks to the climber's foresight and the rescue team's swift response, a potentially dire situation was averted, highlighting once again the perils and the heroism often seen in mountain rescues.
Reporting by TMX
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