A Texas couple recently survived a frigid night out after getting lost on a trail in Colorado. Luck—and their own winter survival skills—ensured they made it out of the ordeal with nothing more than some mild frostbite.
The two hikers decided to celebrate their first wedding anniversary on Jan. 1 by hiking the Bear Creek Trail, a 15-mile out-and-back trail in the San Juan National Forest, Colorado. While they had researched the trip before setting out, they quickly discovered that the information they found on the internet pertained to summer conditions—not the cold, snowy conditions they found on the trail.
The couple had set out at 3 p.m., expecting a hike that would last a couple of hours. They soon realized that, because of the challenging winter conditions, their short hike would be nothing of the sort.
Once they realized that they wouldn't make it back to the trailhead anytime soon, the couple made the first in a series of good decisions: They didn't panic. Instead, they decided to stay put and find a dry spot near a tree to spend the night. Though temperatures dropped down to only 5 degrees, the hikers hunkered down with the extra snacks and water they had packed.
Luckily, and perhaps most importantly, the couple had also told a family member back in Texas about their hiking plans. When the couple failed to check in, the family member reported that they were overdue to authorities in Colorado.
With this information, a team from Montezuma County Search and Rescue began searching for the couple on Jan. 2. A Flight for Life helicopter crew, eight search-and-rescue crew members, and a K-9 search-and-rescue team were deployed. The helicopter crew was able to locate the hikers with an aerial scan, while the ground crew followed the female hiker's tracks in the snow.
The couple was extracted via helicopter; the female hiker was flown back to the trailhead, while the male hiker was flown to a hospital in Durango for medical care after suffering mild frostbite. Both hikers have now returned to Texas.
The couple did numerous things right regarding their ordeal that helped ensure their quick rescue. They didn't panic; they stayed put when they realized they were lost and didn't attempt to travel at night; they carried extra food and water; and they told someone where they were going and when they could expect to be heard from.
In a Facebook post, Montezuma County Search and Rescue urged people to not rely solely on internet research for hikes and to anticipate winter conditions and pack extra warm layers and food to be safe. Winter conditions make for much slower travel, and the post also recommended that people start their hikes earlier in the day—regardless of the season—to provide as much daylight and time as possible to complete the hike.
