On November 8, 2023, the Chaffee County Search and Rescue North (CCSAR-N), supported by CCSAR-S, rescued a severely hypothermic hiker from a snowstorm. The individual, who had summited a 13,000-foot peak earlier that day, found themselves in grave danger as wintry weather set in, leaving them without sufficient provisions, water, or suitable clothing. As night fell and temperatures plummeted, the hiker, wearing only a cotton hoodie, began to suffer from hypothermia.
In a desperate attempt to find safety, the hiker tried to descend via an avalanche chute toward a road. Their situation worsened when CCSAR-N could not determine their location via GPS tracking from the cell phone. With only the knowledge that the hiker was east of Cottonwood Lake, approximately 25 SAR members embarked on a ground search in harsh conditions, including a severe snowstorm and terrain covered in fresh snow.
The breakthrough came at about 12:42 a.m. when footprints were discovered. These led to the hiker, who was found at 2:00 a.m. in the fetal position and covered in snow. The hiker, though alive, was critically hypothermic. The SAR team spent three hours warming them on-site before beginning a challenging extraction that involved rope-assisted descent through steep and hazardous terrain. By 6:15 a.m., the hiker had regained enough strength to walk out with assistance, reaching an ambulance by 7:00 a.m. for medical evaluation.
The incident underscores the importance of preparedness and safety in backcountry excursions. CCSAR-N and CCSAR-S remind everyone of the essentiality of the “10 Essentials” for backcountry travel, the importance of weather awareness, appropriate clothing, hydration, nutrition, route planning, navigation tools, emergency shelters, fire starting kits, first aid kits, and understanding the limitations of cell phones in remote areas.
Singular “they” and “them” has been in use since at least Shakespeare. Are you as confused by singular and plural “you”?
Love how the comments are all focused on the lack of gender identification of the hiker, as if that’s relevant in any way. (smh) The primary lesson from the story is to know the weather forecast and to be prepared before venturing into the outdoors. The other thing to take from it is that SAR people are literally life savers.
It is called a “singular they” and is the correct way of referring to a person whose gender is unknown or irrelevant to the context and is inline with current APA guidelines. I know it may be confusing but it is the correct pronoun in this case.
Speak English. It seems your claim to be a journalist is false.
Yeah, the story as written, confusingly switches back and forth, from singular hiker to them. Just atrocious writing;/
I’m sure this investigative journalist will endeavor to determine the hiker’s gender and then provide an update. (Actually, I’m a bit confused – was there only one hiker, or were there multiple hikers?)