TEENAGER SURVIVES 30-HOURS IN UTAH MOUNTAINS
12th January 2020
Last modified on May 16th, 2021
‘Lucky to be alive’ is an understatement as 17-year old, Nicolas Stacy-Alcatara, heads out for a hike and gets lost.
The teenager from California was visiting his girlfriend earlier this month and decided to go for a day hike from Millcreek canyon near Salt Lake City to Park City.
“I love hiking, it kind of clears my head,” he said.
He brought six peanut butter and jelly sandwiches with him and some water.
He planned to be out all day and make it back in time for dinner.
It began snowing then snowed more and more.
He got lost.
As darkness fell he realised he would need to spend the night in the mountains so he dug a snow cave by a tree.
He kept himself awake with phone alarms every 30-minutes and clutched a special beaded bracelet from his ex-girlfriend to keep his hopes up.
In the morning he set off again and after a few miles was spotted by some passing back county skiers who had a satellite phone with them.
He was taken to hospital where he was treated for hypothermia and frostbite on his feet.
There were concerns his toes might have to be amputated due to frostbite, but doctors decided against the move.
He is now out of hospital and expected to make a full recovery.
“I’m very lucky,” he said after his ordeal.
“I shouldn’t even be alive right now.”
Related Story:
It follows news of two schoolboys getting lost near the ski resort of Whitewater in Canada.
They burned their homework on a fire to stay warm overnight.
See their tale in Skiing Secrets from Thursday 10th January:
