DENVER (KDVR) — An out-of-state hunter who got lost from his group in a northern Colorado wilderness area survived two nights during an “intense early season snowstorm” before he was safely rescued, officials said.
Search and rescue teams from 19 different agencies assisted in the dayslong rescue. The news of the hunter surviving also comes after several hunters died in the last several weeks in southern Colorado.
“After last week’s terrible news about the hunters in southern CO, we are ecstatic to share good news about a hunter who survived 2 nights in the alpine during an intense early season snowstorm,” Routt County Search and Rescue said on Facebook. “It is an honor to work alongside these incredible agencies (19 total) all collaborating together towards a successful outcome.”
The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office on Monday evening at about 6:30 p.m. received a report of a missing hunter in the Rawah Wilderness area, part of the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests east of Walden.
A 57-year-old Illinois man had become separated from his group earlier that afternoon, and his last contact with anyone was a text at around 3:20 p.m. that he was lost. He was prepared with warm clothing, a sleeping bag and water, and he had prior military experience, according to the sheriff’s office.
The sheriff’s office couldn’t track the hunter’s last phone location, a deteriorating weather conditions due to the snowstorm prevented rescuers from searching for the hunter that night.
The next day, Tuesday, Jackson County Search and Rescue and Colorado Parks and Wildlife started a full search amid snowy, cold, and windy conditions. Ground search operations that day last about 10 hours before being suspended for the night.
Search operations continued Wednesday with both ground and air support.
“Search operations were especially challenging due to winter conditions, including cold temperatures, snow, and difficult terrain within the Rawah Wilderness,” the sheriff’s office said. “These factors made navigation extremely difficult for both searchers and the missing hunter.”
On Wednesday afternoon, the missing hunter was able to make several 911 calls, allowing his location to be narrowed down. Air support found the hunter at around 1 p.m. that day.
He was found in good health, and he credited his survival to being prepared with supplies and being able to make a fire and stay calm.
Anthony Sutton is a business strategist and writer with a passion for management, leadership, and entrepreneurship. With years of experience in the corporate world, he shares insights on business growth, strategy, and innovation through management-opleiding.org.
