SUMMIT COUNTY, CO — A father and his teenage son were safely rescued Friday morning after spending the night high on Quandary Peak with Summit County Rescue Group volunteers. The pair had become stranded on the mountain after losing their route during a challenging traverse of the west ridge.
The hikers began their ascent around 10:00 AM on Thursday, planning to summit via the more technical west ridge and descend the well-traveled east ridge. However, they got off-route during the climb and found themselves cliffed out in a precarious location above treeline.
At approximately 8:30 PM, the Summit County Sheriff’s Office received a report of the stranded duo. A Flight for Life helicopter conducted an aerial search and located them in a steep, exposed section of the mountain.
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Recognizing the danger of the terrain and the onset of nightfall, rescuers opted to fly a team partway up the peak and hike in the rest of the way. As temperatures dropped and the sun set, the rescue group constructed a makeshift shelter on the mountain and provided warm clothing to the hikers, who were ill-equipped for an overnight stay.
“They didn’t have a lot of warm clothes, because, of course, they planned to hike during the day,” said Lt. Mike Schilling of the Summit County Sheriff’s Office. “They built a shelter high on the mountain, and everybody hunkered down.”
By morning, a Black Hawk helicopter from the High-Altitude Army National Guard Aviation Training Site (HAATS) in Gypsum arrived to assist with the extraction. The father and son were successfully airlifted to safety just before high winds rolled in. Rescue personnel descended the mountain on foot.
The entire rescue took roughly 15 hours, concluding without injuries.
Officials praised the hikers for starting early and carrying a device that allowed them to call for help. “It’s super important that people don’t hesitate to call for help when they need it,” said Schilling. “Oftentimes, when people hesitate, then darkness sets in and things get even more difficult.”
A Reminder to Always Be Prepared in the Backcountry
Quandary Peak, one of Colorado’s most accessible 14ers, can still be dangerous—especially when venturing onto less-traveled routes like the west ridge. Summit County Rescue Group reminds all hikers to carry the 10 Essentials, including navigation tools, extra layers, food, water, and emergency shelter.
Support Colorado’s SAR Teams
Colorado’s search and rescue teams are made up of unpaid volunteers who risk their safety to help others. You can support their work by purchasing a Keep Colorado Wild Pass or a COSAR Card—both help fund critical backcountry rescue efforts statewide.
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