An injured Colorado man weathered a storm and survived a night alone on a mountain after his co-workers left him behind during an office retreat, rescue officials said Sunday.
The man was part of a group of 15 co-workers who had set off to summit Mount Shavano on Friday, the Chaffee County Search and Rescue South said.
"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," the agency said.
The male hiker, who was wearing all black, reached the summit at 11:30 a.m. and became disoriented as he began his descent. He found that belongings left in the boulder field to mark the path for the descent had been picked up by the previous group as they hiked down.
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As he tried to descend on his own, the hiker found himself in the steep boulder and scree field on the northeast slope toward Shavano Lake.
"Concerned for himself, he sent a pin drop (specific location mark on a map) to co-workers already descending," the Chaffee County SAR South said. "These co-workers informed him his route was wrong and to climb back up the slope to regain the trail."
As the man neared the trail at around 3:50 p.m., he sent another pin drop and text to his group. Shortly after sending the message, however, a strong storm pummeled the area with freezing rain and high winds, officials said.
The storm disoriented the man further and cut off his cell service.
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Search and rescuers received the call about the overdue hiker at 9 p.m., responding with two hasty teams and a drone pilot. Crews worked throughout the night, but high winds and freezing rain prevented them from reaching the summit.
The following morning, the man regained enough cell service to call 911 for help. He was found above the North Fork drainage in a gully below Esprit Point.
The man told rescuers that he had become disoriented and fell at least 20 times during his attempt to descend alone. He said that after his last fall, he was unable to get up.
"This hiker was phenomenally lucky to have regained cell service when he did, and to still have enough consciousness and wherewithal to call 911," rescuers 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."
Search and rescue officials urged hikers to stay with a partner and pack bright clothing along with other essentials when setting off in the backcountry.
