Summit County Rescue Group

The hiker, who was visiting friends in the county, set out for an afternoon hike at about 2:00 pm. Rather than following the trail he bushwacked straight up the north side of the mountain from the Frisco bike path, and eventually reached a steep, rocky area from which he could neither ascend nor descend. He called a local friend for help, who in turn called SCRG mission coordinator Dan Burnett. 15 volunteer rescuers from SCRG responded to the call at about 4:00 pm, and climbed in teams to reach the stranded hiker. The first rescuer to reach the subject, Special Operations Technician Mark Watson from the Sheriff's Office, built a fire to warm him. Then teams set up four 200-foot fixed ropes, and SCRG mission coordinator Jim Koegel rappelled the hiker down the mountain. He reached the bottom just before 10:00 pm. The rescue was complicated by heavy snowfall and fog, which made the terrain slippery and made it difficult for a spotter with a scope to assist in locating the hiker from the bottom. Increasingly dangerous conditions forced SCRG to abandon four ropes on the mountain.

SCRG reminds hikers to stay on the trail when hiking in unfamiliar areas. What looks like a doable route from a distance may actually be a technical climb requiring specialized equipment and climbing experience. Over the past few years, cliffed-out hikers on Quandary Peak and Mount Royal have become more frequent.