After a Mount Princeton climber found himself a little over his head Thursday, Chaffee County Search and Rescue-North was deployed to bring him safely off the mountain. After successfully summiting the fourteener, Andrew Gilsdorf, 23, made it a good way down the mountain, descending into the trees, said Chaffee County Undersheriff Derek Bos. But once he made it into a clearing, he realized he had lost the trail in the deep snow.
Search and Rescue deployed a three-person team with snowshoes and standard winter gear. Bos said four or five more responders were there as support staff. Because Gilsdorf had a newer cellphone, the team was able to use the phone’s GPS to pinpoint his location about a half-mile off the road. After getting him hydrated and fed, the responders fitted him with snowshoes and guided him the rest of the way down.
Bos added that the area has seen some unique snowfall for this time of year. Though it may be 70 degrees in Buena Vista, it’s still winter conditions in the high country, and hikers should be cautious, he said. The avalanche danger is significant right now, though many people wouldn’t expect that in June, Bos said. “Don’t hike alone. Let people know where you’re going and when to expect you back,” he said.