Woman found alive after 4 days missing in Colorado backcountry

[XterraRob]

SAN MIGUEL COUNTY, Colo. — A woman has been found alive and uninjured after she was missing in the Colorado backcountry for four days, the San Miguel County Sheriff's Office said.

The sheriff's office said the 53-year-old woman was last seen around 11 a.m. Wednesday near the Lone Cone trailhead outside of Norwood. That afternoon, the sheriff's office said, 11 campers from an organized group "set off for solo journeys into the woods."

The sheriff's office said the woman, who is from Victoria, Canada, "was part of a group of campers who, by design, set off alone into the backcountry without their cellphones and then fasting 'to maximize their experience with nature.'" The group was participating in a program run by the Animas Valley Institute, which operates out of Durango, the sheriff's office said.

The sheriff's office said the campers used a buddy system designed to confirm that each camper had returned to their campsites. The “buddy” of the missing person arrived at the main camp on Thursday and found she had not checked in. That person reported this to one of the guides, who searched her campsite and determined the woman perhaps did not sleep there the night before, the sheriff's office said. Her daypack, which reportedly contained an emergency blanket, a whistle, a power bar and some water, was missing.

The guides conducted their own search for a few hours, and when they could not find her, they called the sheriff's office. Rescue crews, using aircraft and K9 teams, began a multiday search for the woman.

Sunday, rescue crews found the woman alive and uninjured in the targeted search area, the sheriff's office said.

In a social media post, Sheriff Bill Masters advised the public to never be alone when going into the backcountry.

“You should always bring technology for communications. Furthermore you should not starve yourself even if a 'guide' service suggests the opposite of these basic safety rules," Masters said.


https://www.9news.com/article/news/loca ... 70b33322ba

[Ryan P]

A "buddy" system where you split up? No electronics and intentional fasting? WTF is this? These people are going to get someone killed.

[Exiled Michigander]

List of organizations not to sign up for a 14er trip with:

-Camp Gladiator
-Animas Valley Institute

[hskrhiker]

Certainly not an attorney, but couldn’t this be prosecuted for some type of endangerment?

[IntrepidXJ]

Certainly not an attorney, but couldn’t this be prosecuted for some type of endangerment?

Probably depends on what kind of waiver she signed.

[ultimategully]

The irony of search and rescue teams investing all the time and effort to "find" her while she was simultaneously looking to "find" herself through solo wilderness fasting. What do people pay to sign up for these things?

[XterraRob]

The irony of search and rescue teams investing all the time and effort to "find" her while she was simultaneously looking to "find" herself through solo wilderness fasting. What do people pay to sign up for these things?

It's time to explore your soul:

https://www.animas.org/programs/offerings-descriptions/

[justiner]

I’m like Mr “Let’s do sketchy s**t solo” and I think this program sounds suss.

It also reminds me of this awesome 80s movie starring the guy that played the android in Aliens and I think there’s muuurder.

[mtree]

People are weird. And some are dumb.

[SchralpTheGnar]

Each one of you are gonna solo, for three days, alone...

2 days later arrive at top of Bierdstat on a summer weekend.

[Trotter]

Well, she maximized her experience with nature. Got to experience being cold, hungry, and scared. Just like most animals.

[docinco]

The irony of search and rescue teams investing all the time and effort to "find" her while she was simultaneously looking to "find" herself through solo wilderness fasting. What do people pay to sign up for these things?

It's time to explore your soul:

https://www.animas.org/programs/offerings-descriptions/

beam me up, scotty. i'm here in crestone!