*** Garbage Tuck 'Saves' Two Women on Pikes Peak, CO *** To: Search & Rescue Info Date sent: Tue, 17 Oct 95 19:27:17 -0700 From: Lee, Ron Subject: LADIES PUSH THEIR LUCK - MISS LAST TRAIN OFF PIKES PEAK To: SAR Info BBS LADIES PUSH THEIR LUCK - MISS LAST TRAIN OFF PIKES PEAK October 14, 1995 - Colorado Springs, CO Two women, ages 31 and 61, from Colorado Springs decided to take a late afternoon hike to the top of Pikes Peak and ended up stranded on the summit in bitter cold. The summit of Pikes Peak is served by a 12 mile cog railway running from Manitou Springs, CO, This community is located at the base on the east side of the mountain. A 19 mile gravel highway also serves the peak from the north. A concession facility on the summit, known as "Summit House" is also operated during daylight hours when the highway is open. The ladies began their trip by foot on the Barr Trail from the Manitou Springs trailhead. They had planned to hike to the summit and take the cog railway down. They passed Barr Camp, located approximately half way to the summit, and continued toward the summit. After a while they realized they could not make it in time for the train. They encountered a hiker descending down the trail approximately 4 miles from the summit at 1730 hours. They were determined to go to the summit, and told the hiker that they would try to get a ride or walk down the highway. The other hiker continued down toward Barr Camp. At about 22:00 hours the husband of one of the ladies called the Sheriff's office to report them overdue. A check at the trailhead in Manitou revealed that their vehicle still there. Search and Rescue was notified. A radio call was made to Barr Camp to inquire if they had been seen. Russ Carpentier of Barr Camp was handling the radio when the hiker they had encountered earlier overheard the transmissions. He reported seeing the ladies about 17:30 hours and told of their plans. Search and Rescue verified that both the Summit House and the Pikes Peak Highway were closed. The last train had left at sundown. It was determined that all facilities were closed and the summit vacated around sundown. Team members Ron Lee and Brian Kinsey were dispatched to do a road search up the Pikes Peak Highway and to check the summit for the missing ladies. The team encountered two Summit House employees as they were unlocking the gates to start up the mountain. The employees had gone to town, and were returning to the Summit House where they bed down for the night. They verified the summit was vacated earlier. Because the ladies had indicated they might walk down the highway, and due to the wind and cold, sound attraction was used during the trip up the mountain. The vehicle siren was used in long wails from time to time along the way. This was done after considering the possibility the subjects might have started down the road, then sought shelter in the various boulder fields along the way. Both vehicles arrived on the summit about 24:00 hours. The ladies were found sitting in the cab of a large trash truck with the turn signals blinking. They were moderately clothed for the situation, and very cold. They had obtained some plastic trash bags from the truck and wrapped themselves in them. The ladies received hot chocolate from the Summit House employees and were placed in the rescue vehicle with the heat turned up high. They were returned to relatives at the toll gate approximately 01:30 hours. -------- Rescuer's comments: Upon interview, it was learned: 1. The ladies commented on the large amount of condensation in the trash bags caused by their breathing. 2. Their clothing was almost airtight, causing them to be wet, cold and uncomfortable. 3. They had considered taking a flashlight, but decided not to. 4. They were getting into condition to do a major hike in the Grand Canyon in coming weeks. 5. They had determined it was too cold to attempt walking down the highway. The ladies showed both good and bad judgement. Certainly they got themselves into this predicament by continuing to the summit when they knew the last train had left. Their alternative was to return downhill to Barr Camp and spend the night or continue back to their car. Without a flashlight, they would have done better to stay at Barr Camp. Although their clothing was typical yuppie style nylon running suits, and looked smart, it provided little more than windbreak performance. There was little or no layering, and the nylon prevented body moisture from evaporating. This caused undergarments to become soaked and nearly all insulating property to dissappear. The temperature on the Summit at midnight was 23 deg Farenheit, winds estimated at 40-50 miles per hour. The only shelter available on the summit without breaking windows in the Summit House was the trash truck. Operators on the summit said it had accidentally been left unlocked. Although the flashers did not play a significant role in locating them, they might have been critical had there been snow blowing. I believe there was potential for one or more fatalities had the ladies not been found before sunrise. They were both shivering when found at midnight. They were wet, in a cold metal truck cab which provided shelter from the wind, but not from the cold. The advanced age of one of the ladies, combined with the stress of the hike to the summit placed her at special risk. Fortunately, they were found quickly, brought into a heated building, and fed hot drink before advanced hypothermia set in. ----------------------------------