On a beautiful summer day, a family embarks on a hike in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, USA, accompanied by their dog.
They are hiking on Torreys Peak, which at 4,349 meters, is one of the highest peaks in the famous mountain range, when suddenly a terrible accident occurs.
Slipped and Gone
Zola, as the dog is named, loses her footing and slides down the mountain. She’s not on a leash, and the family can’t catch her as she falls.
The owners’ hearts sink as they watch their beloved dog plummet. They catch one last glimpse of her face when she’s about ten meters below them, then she continues to fall and disappears into nothingness.
With trembling hands, the family calls the mountain rescue and describes the situation. Fearing that the dog might be dead or critically injured, they plead for help.
Even for the experienced members of the Alpine Rescue Team, this is no easy mission. When they arrive on the scene, seven responders go up to the family to reassure them.
The rest keep watch. It seems highly unlikely that Zola survived the fall and would be found in the vast, rugged area.
But the rescuers do their best and refuse to give up.
A Black Speck on a Snowy Summit
Suddenly, the rescuers can hardly believe their eyes. In the distance, high on a snowy peak, there’s a black speck.
Could that be Zola? It’s impossible to tell from this distance. However, the rescuers are certain that the black speck is not naturally part of the mountain.
More precisely, the speck is located about 610 meters up a snowy chute on a steep slope. It would be astonishing if a dog could cling to such a place.
Nonetheless, the rescuers undertake the ascent and check – and thankfully, it’s indeed Zola. Despite her precarious situation, she wags her tail joyfully when she sees the people.
Risky Rescue
Team member Angela Widler is determined to reach Zola. Secured with ropes and anchors driven into the mountain’s rock, she slowly and carefully climbs towards the dog.
The relief is enormous when she reaches Zola. She has a backpack with her into which she packs the dog, and then she climbs back down skillfully.
After transferring to another backpack, the descent remains. The joy is indescribable when Zola is finally reunited with her family.
She has survived a fall of about 182 meters, endured eight hours in the cold, and still survived. It’s almost impossible without a miracle.
However, she’s not unscathed; she has severe abrasions on her belly, rear, and hind legs – painful but relatively minor compared to what could have happened.
The rescuers urge all dog owners not to overestimate their pets and, above all, to take good care of them and keep them leashed. We can only emphasize this.
