Lost hiker ‘didn’t recognize the number,’ ignored rescuers’ calls
A hiker who had been lost in Colorado for 24 hours did not answer calls from rescuers, because “they didn’t recognize the number,” according to officials.
Lake County Search and Rescue said the hiker was overdue for their return from Mount Elbert on Oct. 18. The agency conducted searches in different areas around the trails but could not find the person.
“Multiple attempts to contact the subject via their cell phone were unsuccessful,” the agency said in statement.
However, the person returned home on Oct. 19 without injuries and without notifying searchers they were OK.
“The subject stated they’d lost the trail around nightfall and spent the night searching for the trail, and once on the trail, bounced around onto different trails trying to locate the proper trailhead, finally reaching their car the next morning,” said the Lake County statement. “They had no idea that SAR was out looking for them.”
“One notable take-away is that the subject ignored repeated phone calls from us because they didn’t recognize the number,” the statement continued. “If you’re overdue according to your itinerary, and you start getting repeated calls from an unknown number, please answer the phone; it may be a SAR team trying to confirm you’re safe!”
The agency went on to say the person should not be judged harshly for acting how they did in that situation.
“Please remember that what seems like common sense in hindsight is not obvious to a subject in the moment when they are lost and panicking,” it said.
The incident further sparked a second viral incident after a social media post suggested people who are lost and without cell signal change their voicemail greetings to their precise location.
However, as multiple search and rescue workers have noted, this is a bad idea, mostly because it would be impossible.
“Without a signal (connection to the cell system) YOU CAN’T CHANGE YOUR VOICEMAIL,” Alpine (Colo.) Search and Rescue wrote on Facebook in response. “The voicemail system resides with your cell provider. To change your outgoing message, you have to CALL into your voicemail and then navigate the menus, record a new greeting, confirm the new greeting, etc. YOU CANNOT DO THIS WITH NO SIGNAL.”
“If your battery is low, do not waste power by calling your voicemail — or a friend or relative,” the group wrote. “Call 9-1-1 for help.”
If possible, texting for help is recommended, too, as the phone will continue trying to send a text until it reconnects to the network.
Rescuers said it’s important to make sure your phone battery lasts in these situations.
“In order to make the battery last longer, turn off everything you do not need,” Alpine SAR said. “Close all apps. Turn off WiFi and Bluetooth. Don’t use your cell phone as a GPS/map device and especially do not use the compass if your phone has one — the compass feature in some phones is a serious battery drain. Pull out your map and compass and/or use a dedicated GPS unit. You may be instructed, by text, to turn your phone off and text back at a specific time. Also, keep your phone just a little warm with some body heat or a handwarmer.”
