A Chicago family was rescued from a mountain in southern Colorado last week after becoming stranded during a hike.
The family of five – three adults and two children – went to hike Greenhorn Mountain on the morning of Nov. 22, but unexpected snow, the altitude and the family’s inexperience with mountain climbing slowed them down as they neared the summit by the evening, according to the Pueblo County sheriff’s office.
The family called 911 after “realizing they still had quite a long way to go with no food and inadequate clothing for dropping temperatures,” the sheriff’s office said.
A search-and-rescue team was airlifted to the mountain’s north peak, where they found the family and provided them with food and clothing, officials said.
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The group hiked in darkness for about a mile over the peak, where they met with fire officials and hiked farther to be picked up by emergency vehicles, the sheriff’s office said.
The rescue effort took about seven hours, officials said.
“Everyone arrived down the mountain safely and were reunited with family members who did not join in the hike,” the sheriff’s office said, adding the family followed proper instructions for outdoor survival, including calling 911 “before it became a life-threatening emergency.”
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Greenhorn Trail is nearly 8 miles long, with a gain of about 3,880 feet in elevation, according to the U.S. Forest Service.
“We remind hikers or anyone going on trails or in the mountains to be prepared and aware of conditions and abilities before going out, especially this time of year when conditions can change rapidly, and the sun sets earlier,” the sheriff’s office said.
