Mountain Rescue Aspen responded to a backcountry medical emergency in recent days, with the situation being used as an example of how even common medical conditions can quickly escalate to become a dangerous situation in a remote environment.

According to a press release on the incident, a call for help was received via a text-to-911 report at about 6:46 a.m. on July 1. The request for assistance was related to a hiker near Conundrum Hot Springs who started to have severe abdominal pain, was vomiting, and was unable to walk out of the area. The sick hiker was with one other hiker at the time.

Per the report, the hikers were in the area of Camp 14 along Conundrum Creek, which is about eight miles from the trailhead. Given how the hiker was immobilized by their condition and how deep into the backcountry the hiker was, Mountain Rescue Aspen was called to assist with CareFlight of the Rockies playing a role in the mission, as well.

The helicopter that was launched reached the hikers by about 7:50 a.m., with multiple ground teams working their way toward the subject, too. The CareFlight crew assessed the hiker’s condition and the hiker was able to walk a short distance to the helicopter for transport to Aspen Valley Hospital for additional care.

Altogether, the mission took about seven hours, which included time spent by some rescuers assisting in retrieving gear the rescue subject left behind. A total of 19 Mountain Rescue Aspen personnel participated in the mission.

It wasn’t noted what the ill hiker was believed to have been suffering from. The symptoms seem to match those of food poisoning or an intestinal infection, with the consumption of tainted water being a cause for concern in Colorado’s backcountry. Again, there’s no official indication it could have been that but, either way, make sure you’re properly purifying all water you’re consuming while camping and hiking. Another condition that can cause vomiting and nausea is elevation sickness, which can be immobilizing for some. If altitude sickness is suspected to be the cause of illness, the only true solution is getting to a lower elevation.

Mountain Rescue Aspen reminded hikers to be prepared to be self-sufficient while in the backcountry, carrying appropriate emergency supplies and a reliable two-way satellite communication drive. Don’t forget the 10 essentials, too.

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