This is just outside of where I vacationed just a few short weeks ago...
Two Florida hikers were safely removed from the 13,500-foot level of Mount Princeton Friday in separate rescue operations because one became sick and the other lost his way.
Chaffee County Sheriff's Deputy Matt Goodwin reported Robert Dale Aggen, 19, of Wellington, Fla., was rescued by a Flight for Life helicopter Sept. 18 after suffering apparent altitude sickness.
He was hiking with his father, Dale Robert Aggen, 49 of Wellington, on Mount Princeton.
Dale contacted the sheriff's office dispatch center about 2 p.m. Friday requesting search and rescue assistance to remove his son who he said was unable to move, but was conscious and breathing normally.
Chaffee County Search and Rescue personnel were summoned to assist, but Goodwin said Dale requested a helicopter. Chaffee County Sheriff Tim Walker subsequently authorized use of the aircraft.
Flight for Life personnel found and evacuated Robert after 5 p.m. The victim was later diagnosed with a low carbohydrate level and minor altitude sickness.
Dale told rescuers he would hike off Mount Princeton to the trailhead by himself. However, Goodwin reported, Dale became lost later in the evening and again requested search and rescue assistance.
I usually take 2-3 days once I arrive out in Colorado to acclimate just to make sure this kind of thing doesn't happen [although I don't ever get to 13,500]. Floridians who live at 5-10 feet above sea level are particularly prone to having the altitude do weird things to their bodies.
- Photo via my Flickr
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2 comments:
I worked as a camp counselor for ten summers in the Rockies and climbed numerous peaks, including several Fourteeners (Longs is my favorite). I have been snowed on in June, July, and August. All of my kids learned from Day 1 to take it easy, wear long pants, carry winter weather gear, lots of water, and sunscreen. My guess is that these guys you report on had taken none of those precautions. We used to see a lot of people who did that, and more than one of them became statistics.
I was in Denver on a conference in May and decided to go running the first day I was there. What a mistake! I didn't realize how much the altitude would affect me. I made sure I stayed hydrated all day while there. Even the bartenders warned us about drinking alcohol on the first night.
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