Coworkers leave man on Colorado mountain overnight after office retreat

[IceIce9]

Office retreat gone wrong: Co-workers leave man on Colorado mountain overnight

This year’s performance review is going to be awkward.

fox59.com

Fifteen hikers on an office work retreat in Colorado’s San Isabel National Forest left one man behind, who went on to survive a night on a mountain while injured.

He reached the summit at about 11:30 a.m., according to the Chaffee County SAR, but became disoriented when he went to descend the mountain. When he looked for items left in the boulder field to mark the descending path, they were gone: The previous group had picked up the path markers on their way down.

 

[borndem]

This statement from the article above, worried me:
"The previous group had picked up the path markers on their way down." *

Was picking-up the path markers a requirement?
Perhaps the group didn't realize that he was not with them, or they figured he was close behind.
I understand that picking up the markers was possibly a requirement so that other hikers wouldn't get confused.
Hoping for good news soon.

* from -- "Office retreat gone wrong: Co-workers leave man on Colorado mountain overnight"

 

[borndem]

This statement worried me a bit:
"The previous group had picked up the path markers on their way down." *
The group must have thought that he was on his way and not far behind.
I can see that leaving markers behind might confuse another climbing group.
It may be that cleaning up the markers was a rule so that a different group wouldn't get confused with their trek.

* from: Office retreat gone wrong: Co-workers leave man on Colorado mountain overnight

 

[LadyL]

He told rescue workers he was in a different area than where they had searched and that he had been disoriented on his descent and had fallen at least 20 times. After his last fall, he was unable to get back up.

 

[mickey2942]

Nice. I had to go on an office retreat once, it was beyond dysfunctional. Another time, I had to participate in a "ropes" course. That was also a terrible experience. But of course, we all pretended to have a great time and sang "Kumbya" at the end.

I hope this guy sues and gets a boatload of cash.

 

[IceIce9]

Nice. I had to go on an office retreat once, it was beyond dysfunctional. Another time, I had to participate in a "ropes" course. That was also a terrible experience. But of course, we all pretended to have a great time and sang "Kumbya" at the end.

I hope this guy sues and gets a boatload of cash.

I used to work for a small-ish company with 40 or so employees. Most of us were medical professionals, plus a few accounting and clerical. The HR person always seemed to hire the worst employees, very few of us could actually work together as a team. Most were backstabbers, liars, passive aggressive or just plan aggressive. A totally toxic work environment. I escaped from there as soon as I found a better place to work.

This company frequently scheduled team building events. I can totally see most of these former coworkers ditching someone on a mountain.

 

[Puzzles8]

Office retreat gone wrong: Co-workers leave man on Colorado mountain overnight

This year’s performance review is going to be awkward.

fox59.com

Fifteen hikers on an office work retreat in Colorado’s San Isabel National Forest left one man behind, who went on to survive a night on a mountain while injured.

He reached the summit at about 11:30 a.m., according to the Chaffee County SAR, but became disoriented when he went to descend the mountain. When he looked for items left in the boulder field to mark the descending path, they were gone: The previous group had picked up the path markers on their way down.

Not only did it fail as a '"team building" event, but it sadly turned into quite the opposite.
I wonder what the dynamics of the group was before the event?
Was the intention to bring employees closer or was it to try to mend fences?

Thankfully, he was found alive the next day. I don't know what condition he is currently in.
He told rescue workers he was in a different area than where they had searched and that he had been disoriented on his descent and had fallen at least 20 times. After his last fall, he was unable to get back up.

"Rescue workers were able to rescue the man, who was stabilized before being transported to a hospital, according to Chaffee County SAR.
“This hiker was phenomenally lucky to have regained cell service when he did, and to still have enough consciousness and wherewithal to call 911. Though he was located in a tertiary search area, it would have been some time before teams made it to that location on their own,” Chaffee County Search and Rescue South said.
The agency reminded hikers to always hike with a partner, pack bright clothing and remember to pack the 10 essentials, some of which include food and water, first-aid supplies, warm clothing and a lighting source."

Office retreat gone wrong: Co-workers leave man on Colorado mountain overnight

This year’s performance review is going to be awkward.

fox59.com

How could his group have left him alone on a cold and rainy mountain?

Team Building Event = F-


JMO

 

[mickey2942]

Maybe they thought he left early. We would really have to know more about the dynamics of the situation. What happened.

 

[acutename]

Maybe they thought he left early. We would really have to know more about the dynamics of the situation. What happened.

no because in the story, he contacts the coworkers twice when he is lost to get help finding his way.
(I am curious what kind of company this was and if some of the workers were a lot more fit and used to hiking and some were not and who planned this exercise)

 

[mickey2942]

no because in the story, he contacts the coworkers twice when he is lost to get help finding his way.
(I am curious what kind of company this was and if some of the workers were a lot more fit and used to hiking and some were not and who planned this exercise)

Nice people. Not. Bullying on steroids. I bet that they will cover for each other and say they thought he was kidding or some other minimizing story.

 

[tezi]

I don't understand not counting heads on the way down. How hard is it to count to 15? I bet the work environment at that place is "outstanding." (Sarcasm intended...)

JMO, IMO, and all other disclaimers.

 

[IceIce9]

I don't understand not counting heads on the way down. How hard is it to count to 15? I bet the work environment at that place is "outstanding." (Sarcasm intended...)

JMO, IMO, and all other disclaimers.

His coworkers knew he was still on the mountain. He had contacted them twice while he had cell service.

 

[IceIce9]

The company is Beazley Global Insurance

Hiker allegedly stranded by co-workers on Colorado mountain was raising money for World Central Kitchen

An insurance underwriter rescued on a central Colorado mountain after allegedly being left behind by his coworkers was hiking for World Central Kitchen.

abcnews.go.com

Making matters worse, Stephanides' colleagues had inexplicably collected belongings left in a boulder field to mark the path down, officials said.

When his colleagues didn't hear from him, they reported Stephanides missing at 9 p.m., some eight-and-a-half hours after he started his descent, officials said.

 

[IceIce9]

From the above linked article

A spokesperson for Beazley confirmed to ABC News that company employees were on Mt. Shavano as a part of an annual charity hiking trip to raise money for World Central Kitchen, the nonprofit humanitarian organization founded in 2010 by celebrity chef José Andrés to deliver meals in disaster areas around the globe, including war zones in Ukraine and Gaza.

Contacted by ABC News on Wednesday, Stephanides said his company, the Beazley global insurance firm, was still gathering facts about the expedition and referred all questions to his company's spokesperson.

Beazley CEO Adrian Cox, who is based in London, released a statement Thursday morning to ABC News, praising the Chaffee County Search and Rescue -- South, an all-volunteer rescue team in Colorado, for saving his employee's life.

 

[IceIce9]

JMO but it seems crazy that the coworkers got off the mountain at 11:30 am, the lost coworker contacted them twice yet they didn’t report him missing until 9:00 pm.

And they picked up the trail markers on their way down.

 

[IceIce9]

Colorado man left behind during office retreat survives night on mountain

Injured hiker became stranded after co-workers descended without him before storm in Rocky mountains

www.theguardian.com

News of the stranded hiker prompted various responses online, with some hailing the SAR teams, while others criticized his co-workers.

“Excellent teamwork in response to non-existent teamwork! Well done,” one person wrote on Facebook. Another user said: “15 of you guys and NONE of you went back to help or stuck with em?! Wow.”

Someone else echoed similar sentiments, writing: “So … they not only left him behind in the first place, while they summited, but then his coworkers let him go to the summit alone, then they moved rock markers on their way back down. Wow. Great team building experience. Glad he’s OK. Hopefully he finds a new job soon.”

 

[Inthedetails]

I used to work for a small-ish company with 40 or so employees. Most of us were medical professionals, plus a few accounting and clerical. The HR person always seemed to hire the worst employees, very few of us could actually work together as a team. Most were backstabbers, liars, passive aggressive or just plan aggressive. A totally toxic work environment. I escaped from there as soon as I found a better place to work.

This company frequently scheduled team building events. I can totally see most of these former coworkers ditching someone on a mountain.

I had similar work experience. The owners were wealthy and had "team building" retreats at their home in another state, but they were essentially weekends of court-intrigue, gossip, kissing up, "conform to this cut-throat, competitive group or else," heavy partying atmosphere. I was outta there fast. They were shocked I quit such a fun, "we're all a family" workplace, but...yuck.

I've also been on fun hiking outings, but they weren't with co-workers.



jmo

 

[charminglane]

This company should try Habitat for Humanity as a team builder.
Flat ground and trusted builders!

 

[mickey2942]

This company should try Habitat for Humanity as a team builder.
Flat ground and trusted builders!

MOO, is that I go to work to do my job. I have zero desire to be around people who I have nothing in common, but we were hired at the same place.

I work remotely now, and couldn't be happier. I see my coworkers on Zoom.

I know you meant well, but these forced employee get togethers are extremely difficult for people who are introverted, and/or nuerodivergent. I can do an amazing job. But force me to socialize, and it is horrible.

 

[slowpoke]

This is reminiscent of the case earlier this summer of a woman hiker (Diem Le Nguyen) that strayed from the group, too—but with a more tragic outcome, as she was found deceased. Very glad that in this one, he was found alive.

I think I need to hear more details before I fully fault the rest of the group. Yes, they should have had the buddy system and counted heads. But, maybe they didn’t know the belongings left behind as markers on the trail were their coworker’s things, and thought they were mistakenly dropped (lost) by some random hiker, and thought they were doing a good deed by bringing them down to be helpful?

JMO