Trail Runner Rescued After Crawling for More Than 10 Hours in Sub-Freezing Temperatures – Runner’s World

• Joseph Oldendorf was rescued early Saturday morning after breaking his ankle on a trail run in Washington.
• The 26-year-old crawled roughly four to five miles in sub-freezing temperatures until emergency response crews located him and was taken off by helicopter.
• He was treated over the weekend and released from the hospital on Sunday.

A trail runner in Washington near Olympic National Park was rescued early Saturday morning after breaking his ankle and crawling for hours until he was able to get cell reception to call 911.

Joseph Oldendorf, 26, was nine to 10 miles out on the Duckabush Trail—about two hours and 45 minutes into his run—on Friday evening when he slipped on a patch of ice and broke his ankle around 5 p.m., he told dispatchers. Unable to walk and without cell reception, he began crawling back toward the trailhead.

Jefferson Search and Rescue

Oldendorf estimated that he crawled five to six miles on his hands and knees in sub-freezing temperatures while wearing only running clothes—shorts, a shirt, and a light running jacket. The skin on his knees scraped off as he made his way long the groomed but messy trail with many downed trees. At one point, he tied his shoes around his knees to ease the pain and abrasions.

“The guy went through hell,” Matt Stewart, president of the Jefferson Search and Rescue and one of the rescuers, told Runner’s World. “That trail is filled with downed trees. One close to him was a foot in diameter and a foot off the ground. He probably encountered that over most of the trail.”

Around 12:45 a.m., after eight hours of crawling, Oldendorf finally got a signal on his phone and was able to call for help. The Jefferson County Search and Rescue, local firefighters, and local sheriff’s office made their way up the trail with a wheel litter, medical supplies, and hot packs. Oldendorf continued to crawl toward the trailhead for about two more hours to stay warm and to meet the rescue crew sooner.

EMTs found Oldendorf about three and a half miles from the trailhead, and they immediately began tending to him, using hot packs, foil, and extra jackets for warmth. They also splinted his leg until a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter was able to come around 7 a.m. and transport him to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.

“We had to move him a quarter of a mile up the trail to where the helicopter could drop a basket,” Stewart said. “We put him in the wheel litter, wrapped up like a burrito with foot warmers, fresh socks, hot packs and a cap, and we got him to where the 250-foot trees wouldn’t impede the lift.”

Oldendorf was reportedly admitted to the hospital Saturday and later released on Sunday.

“We like to train for high-altitude rescues because of the mountainous region we operate in,” U.S. Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr. Sam Hill said in a . “Because of that training, we were able to overcome numerous environmental challenges to rescue the hiker from a dangerous situation. We thank Jefferson County Search and Rescue for their help locating the hiker and assisting with the hoist.”

Stewart added that Oldendorf should be applauded for his efforts to save his own life. By staying on the trail, carrying a fully-charged cell phone, crawling toward the trailhead for a quicker rescue, moving to stay warm even after notifying rescue, and knowing where he was and alerting rescuers of his location assisted in getting him help sooner rather than later.

These are all things Stewart recommends should this happen to anyone on a trail.

“The reality is most trail runs happen around here and everywhere safely,” Stewart said. “But occasionally, you get a freak incident like this, and it’s best to be prepared. Like tying his shoes to his knees. That was the right thing to do. I probably wouldn’t have thought of that, but I will now if it ever happens to me.”

– This story will be updated.

Gear & News Editor Drew covers a variety of subjects for Runner’s World and Bicycling, and he specializes in writing and editing human interest pieces while also covering health, wellness, gear, and fitness for the brand.