COLORADO NEWS

Guy’s coworkers left him behind on a 14,000-foot Colorado mountain

Aug 28, 2024, 3:00 PM | Updated: Aug 29, 2024, 8:25 am

Tell me everyone at work hates you, without telling me they hate you: 15 coworkers scaled a mountain in Colorado last Friday as part of a team-building exercise, apparently. And one guy got left behind.

Mount Shavano is 100 miles southwest of Denver.  he summit is over 14,000 feet, but not everyone did the whole thing. A few people hung back, so there were two groups… except for one guy who ended up doing the last leg himself.

He made it to the top fine, but got lost on his way down after everyone left and took all their gear with them. They’d left stuff along the path to guide them back like a trail of breadcrumbs. But they took it all with them when they left.

He made it to the top around 11:30 A.M., then got turned around. So he dropped a pin, texted it to his coworkers, and they told him he was going the wrong way.

He sent another pin-drop at 3:50 P.M., and he was going the right way at that point. But then a big STORM hit, with high winds and freezing rain.

He got disoriented in the storm, which also cut off his cell service. But his coworkers either didn’t know, or didn’t care, and no one told search-and-rescue until 9:00 P.M.

They would have tried using drones to find him, but they couldn’t make it that far up the mountain in bad weather. Plus, he was in all black clothing, which would have been impossible to spot.

Luckily, he’s okay. He got cell service back around 10:00 A.M. the next day and called 911. By the time they found him, he’d been on the mountain for over 24 hours and couldn’t walk. He told them he’d fallen “at least 20 times.”

They stretchered him out and got him to a hospital. They say he’s lucky his phone didn’t die, or they wouldn’t have found him in time.

Search-and-rescue said the story highlights some important lessons: Remember that cell service can be spotty, don’t hike in all-black, if you get turned around, it’s usually best to stay put, and NEVER leave someone behind.

They added that the unfortunate event, “might cause some awkward encounters at the office in the coming days and weeks.”

Colorado News

Trail Ridge Road...

Shawn Patrick

The highest continuous paved road in North America is in Colorado and open for the first time since October

The highest continuous paved road in North America officially open today (May 30)! The iconic Trail Ridge Road in Colorado has officially opened for the season after snowy, icy, and […]

45 minutes ago

Jellystone Park Larkspur...

Shawn Patrick

What’s the waterpark on I-25 south of Castle Rock, Colorado?

If you’ve driven from Denver to Colorado Springs you’ve likely seen what looks like a big waterpark right off of I-25 to the west in the little town of Larkspur, […]

1 hour ago

Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for Stagecoach...

Shawn Patrick

A ‘Yellowstone’ TV star is in Colorado for three shows next week

Before there was a wildly popular show called “Yellowstone,” there was a country artist from New Mexico, and later Texas, riding bulls at the rodeo and then selling his music […]

1 hour ago

(Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)...

Shawn Patrick

Not just 303 and 720 – Colorado is getting a new area code

Gone are the days when people in Colorado had either 303, 720, 970, or 719 as area codes. Another new area code will be coming to Colorado next year in […]

1 hour ago

Photo by Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images...

Shawn Patrick

Orangutans at Denver Zoo briefly escape from enclosure

There’s a reason the animals at the zoo are locked in their habitats, but it doesn’t stop me from daydreaming about getting to play with a super nice orangutan. A […]

1 day ago

...

Shawn Patrick

People named Ryan in Colorado, you’re needed to help set a world record

If your name is Ryan, you live in Colorado, you’re able-bodied and your schedule is open, you have got to come help set a world record! The nonprofit organization Ryan […]

1 day ago

Guy’s coworkers left him behind on a 14,000-foot Colorado mountain