A 20-something-year-old day hiker was rescued after spending two nights alone and injured in Colorado’s remote San Juan County wilderness thanks to being spotted by a passenger on a passing train.

According to the San Juan County Office of Emergency Management, the woman, of Aztec, New Mexico, left for a day hike on the Colorado Trail on Saturday, from the Deer Park area. At some point, she left the trail to follow the Animas River, taking a big fall and breaking her leg.

Local newspaper Durango Herald reports that the woman went off-trail to take photos, falling off a 30-meter cliff-face and losing consciousness for an unknown length of time. The woman had attempted to climb the cliff face after becoming lost while off-trail.

According to the Office of Emergency Management, the woman managed to get herself into a spot where she was visible over two days and nights spent in the wilderness. She was not found until a passenger on the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad happened to spot her while she was flagging down their train on Monday morning.

Once the passenger spotted the woman in distress, they alerted train staff, prompting an emergency response.

Two staff members onboard the train also happened to be La Plata County medics. These staff members crossed the river to reach the woman, staying with her until the Silverton Medical Rescue team arrived.

The woman was transported across the river via rope and ultimately flown to Montrose for medical care. Her current status is unknown, though a family member did note online that she needed surgery and had a long road to recovery ahead.

Silverton and San Juan County thanked the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad for their support throughout the incident. A smaller diesel engine with a few cars was used during the mission to help transport the search and rescue team.

This case shows the importance of both staying on trail and carrying a device that can help you establish a means of communication outside of cell phone range.

Leaving the trail can greatly increase the risk of a hike, making getting lost more likely, as well as the chance of encountering dangerous terrain.

In terms of maintaining a means of communication regardless of where you’re at in Colorado, a GPS device, like the Garmin inReach, is the best option.

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