A hiker has become the butt of online jokes after they ignored rescue calls while lost on a Colorado mountain, believing the incoming calls were from an unknown number. It turns out, hiking to clear your mind doesn’t always mean your thinking is clear, especially when you’re missing on Mount Elbert, Colorado’s highest peak, as happened on October 18, 2021. Fortunately, the hiker’s identity remains under wraps.
Lake County Search and Rescue reported that the hiker was missing after they did not return from their journey which started at 9am. By 8pm, a search operation was underway. The rescue team couldn’t find the hiker initially, leading them to believe that the hiker had strayed off the trail and spent the night trying to find their way back.
Incredibly, after 24 hours, the hiker managed to navigate back to their car, completely oblivious to the search efforts that had been launched for their safety.
Lake County Search and Rescue shared on Facebook, “Multiple attempts to contact the subject via their cell phone were unsuccessful.” They added, “One notable take-away is that the subject ignored repeated phone calls from us because they didn’t recognize the number. If you’re overdue according to your itinerary, and you start getting repeated calls from an unknown number, please answer the phone; it may be a SAR team trying to confirm you’re safe!”
The irony of the situation didn’t escape social media users who found humor in the hiker’s blunder. The hiker, thinking the calls might be from a telemarketer, ignored them entirely, even while lost and alone in the woods at night.
The Lake County Search and Rescue team had to step in and defend the hiker from the online mockery, emphasizing that people can lose common sense during emergencies. They posted, “Please remember that what seems like common sense in hindsight is not obvious to a subject in the moment when they are lost and panicking.
The team also noted, “In Colorado, most folks who spend time outdoors have a good understanding of the SAR infrastructure that is there to help them, but this is not the case nation-wide. Please keep your comments respectful.”
So, the takeaway from this adventurous ordeal? If you ever find yourself off the beaten path and your phone starts ringing with unknown numbers, maybe consider picking up—it could be your ticket to getting back to safety, or just letting someone know you’re still kicking!