A Victoria woman was found alive and uninjured after spending four days alone in the wilds of the Colorado backcountry.
Gina Chase was reported missing on Aug. 15, after she failed to return from a solo trip into the woods in the Lone Cone mountain area, outside the town of Norwood in the western U.S. state, on the morning of Aug. 14.
The 53-year-old was part of a group of campers organized by Animas Valley Institute, who according to their website offer a “rich assortment of guided immersions into the mysteries of nature and psyche.”
According to the San Miguel County Sheriff’s office, participants were encouraged to fast, and not bring any personal digital devices on their solo journeys to “maximize a spiritual experience with nature.”
When the group realized Chase was missing from her campsite, along with her ‘daypack’ that contained an emergency blanket, whistle, a power bar and some water, they conducted their own search of the area before calling the emergency services.
Deputies and volunteer search and rescue teams were immediately dispatched, navigating difficult terrain and dense underbrush and trees, which the sheriff’s office said made the search especially challenging.
Aircraft resources and canine search units were also deployed during the search.
Chase was eventually found on Aug. 17, after spending three nights in the backcountry.
“This successful outcome could not have been accomplished without the dedication of our search and rescue volunteers, our deputies and dozens of others with various agencies who all took time away from their lives and families for this mission,” said the sheriff’s office on its Facebook page.
