On Tuesday, April 6, 2021, around 12:40 pm, the Snowmass Village Police Department received a phone call from a man who stated that he and his hiking companion were near the Rim Trail and were stuck on a cliff face in an area that was too steep to continue hiking in any direction.
The Rim Trail is a 6.2 mile trail on the north side of Snowmass Village that provides sweeping views of the town and ski area.
After determining that the stranded hikers were stuck on a steep hillside in an area inaccessible to vehicles, the Snowmass Village Police requested the assistance of Mountain Rescue Aspen and the Pitkin County Sheriff’s Office.
Twelve volunteers from Mountain Rescue Aspen entered the field to look for the stranded hikers around 1:30 pm. Additionally, seven members of Mountain Rescue Aspen responded to the C.B. Cameron Rescue Center in order to help coordinate the rescue efforts.
The volunteer rescuers from Mountain Rescue Aspen located the stranded hikers, who had voluntarily separated from each other, around 2:30 pm. Climbers from Mountain Rescue Aspen rappelled down to the stranded hikers, reaching the first hiker around 2:35 PM. The first hiker was escorted down safely off the cliff around 2:45 PM. Climbers from Mountain Rescue Aspen reached the second hiker, a man from Tampa, Florida, at 2:50 PM. The second hiker was lowered to safety around 3:00 PM. The hikers, one of whom was dressed in shorts, were uninjured. The men were guided off of the steep cliff and escorted to the trailhead, where they declined medical treatment.
All rescuers were out of the field by 3:30 pm.
The Pitkin County Sheriff’s Office and Mountain Rescue Aspen would like to remind hikers that the safest course of action when hiking in any terrain, familiar or unfamiliar, is to remain on the trail and to follow established routes. Additionally, please remember that it is important to dress appropriately for the weather and terrain. Temperatures and weather conditions in Colorado can change quickly.
Theres no way thats a current pic. Thats June stuff
It’s galling (I’m trying to avoid the word “stupid”) that people simply do not take nature and wildness seriously……….it’s never wise to be hiking in shorts in the mountains since it gets quite cold at night in case they got stranded without cell service, but it’s ABSURD to be doing it in a transition time like April!
As I’ve posted before, I have no problem with people being stupid IF the only safety they risk is their own, but in this case the SAR people had to go out which puts a burden on them………they are incredible folks and an amazing asset, but it’s proper to use them only when common sense wasn’t enough and something untoward happened and one is in serious trouble.
Imagine if these hikers had no cell service? I always carry a PLB so even if no cell service, I can communicate if the excrement has hit the fan……….
These hikers put a burden on the SAR people……..a burden which could easily have been eliminated by proper attire and proper gear (at least mini-cleats)……..
Do what you want to yourself………..don’t put others at risk.