Hiker stranded on Mount Bierstadt when his shoes froze

A young man is lucky to be alive after spending several hours stranded on Mount Bierstadt.

On Friday, December 13, a 20-year-old man set out to summit Mount Bierstadt in Clear Creek County. When the college student from Texas failed to check in with his father at 8 pm, the worried father called 911.

A team of volunteers from the Alpine Rescue Team were dispatched and began their search on the summer trail at Guanella Pass. When the rescue team approached a creek crossing, they noticed a flashing light about a mile from their current position. The team redirected their heading towards the light.

Braving freezing temperatures, the recue team found the stranded young man on a rocky outcropping. The hiker had been unable to make it off the trail because his shoes were frozen solid. By 3 am, the hiker and rescuers were well on their way off the mountain.

A spokesperson from Alpine Rescue Team credited the man’s forward thinking and his father’s quick action when his son did not check in. If the hiker had not been found, the consequences could have been deadly; with average temperatures below freezing after sundown.

With so many beautiful places to explore here in Colorado, it is important to remember safety first. Always arrange a check in time/ date with a friend or family member. Remember to check the weather, have a map/ GPS device and pack the 10 essentials. Even though most of our adventures are uneventful, it is always good to be prepared for almost anything.