Body found after winter storm envelops climber trapped on cliff, Colorado rescuers say
The body of an experienced mountaineer has been found after she became trapped on a cliff, just hours before a winter storm arrived, Colorado search and rescue officials said.
Madeline Baharlou-Quivey, 29, was climbing up Kit Carson Peak on Oct. 11 when she strayed from the “standard route,” according to Saguache Search and Rescue. As she continued, Quivey became “cliffed out,” meaning she found herself in a position where she could not move up and couldn’t turn back.
A call for Quivey’s rescue came into the county sheriff’s office around 8 p.m., and her GPS coordinates were shared, rescuers said. The caller had received a text from Quivey asking for help.
Quivey had climbed terrain like this before and was well-equipped for the environment, officials said, but she was trapped, and the weather would soon make her dire situation even worse.
“An approaching winter storm to the rescue area provided a narrow window of time for rescue operations,” rescuers said.
Given the type of rugged terrain Quivey was in, and the incoming conditions, “personnel trained in winter alpine conditions” were called on to the search, as well as a Black Hawk helicopter to hoist her out, if need be.
The helicopter set out the next day at dawn and searched the area where Quivey had sent out her SOS. The crew saw no sign of her, officials said.
With fuel running low, the Black Hawk returned to base to fill up for another pass. But the window slammed shut on the searchers as strong winds and brutal cold rolled in, enveloping the mountain -- and Quivey -- wherever she was.
Though they lost their eyes in the sky, two crews remained on the ground continuing the search, Saguache Search and Rescue said, pushing on through gusting snow and below freezing temperatures. Visibility was limited.
Both teams were eventually forced to turn back empty-handed by day’s end.
More ground crews and more helicopters swarmed the snow-covered area on day two.
At 3 p.m., a team spotted Quivey’s body.
Airborne searchers hovered close overhead and were able to confirm that she was dead, officials said, and appeared to have died from a fall. Quivey’s remains were too close to the cliff’s face for helicopters to safely retrieve.
The team that first saw her body climbed within 100 feet of it, but there wasn’t enough time before nightfall to finish the ascent and recover her, according to search and rescue officials.
“Recovery operations will resume as weather and rescuer safety permit.”
Carlotta Baharlou, Quivey’s mother, announced on social media Saturday that her daughter’s body has been recovered.
“I am so grateful to the search and rescue teams from the state of Colorado for recovering Madeline’s body. It was a nearly impossible task but their skill and experience have allowed us the opportunity to begin healing,” the post read. “Thank you all for your overwhelming support and love over the last several days.”
In the days since Quivey’s death, friends and family have taken to Facebook, sharing photos and memories of her.
One friend remembered meeting the “gorgeous” girl years ago in sixth grade, with the “blinged out” Nokia phone, who was always losing her retainer. She grew into a vibrant woman, hungry to see and experience the world, even if that meant setting out into it alone, the friend said.
“I really admired Maddie’s courage to do and try new things, even if it meant moving across the country by herself,” she wrote. “She got to see and do a lot of really amazing things in her short time on this Earth, and she has clearly inspired and touched a lot of lives. I’m happy I can say I’m one of them.”
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