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iPhone Satellite Functionality Saves Denver Mountaineer
- On June 30, 2025, a 53-year-old climber injured his wrist while descending Snowmass Mountain near Snowmass Lake, Colorado, and used his iPhone's satellite texting to call for help.
- The climber's injury made him unable to walk out alone, and the remote location with no cell or Wi-Fi prompted use of Apple's Emergency SOS satellite feature to reach rescuers.
- Following the SOS alert, a family member notified the Pitkin County Sheriff's Office, which dispatched a 17-person Mountain Rescue Aspen team to carry out the rescue in challenging terrain.
- Emergency SOS via satellite reduces response times by enabling direct communication without cell towers, demonstrated by this mission where the climber was located and evacuated safely by 5:30 p.m.
- This incident underscores the importance for backcountry travelers to carry emergency communication devices equipped with satellite technology and to be familiar with how to operate them, especially given the increase in outdoor activities and challenging rescue conditions in Colorado.
14 Articles
14 Articles
Hiker uses Apple satellite texting to call for help from 10,980 feet after injury during glissade
A recent rescue in the area of Aspen, Colorado highlights how some newer cell phone models can be used to establish satellite communication in emergency situations.
Apple emergency SOS via satellite message feature saves life of a mountaineer stuck at 10,000 ft
A 53-year-old mountaineer was rescued after he managed to use his iPhone’s satellite messaging feature to send a distress signal. He was stranded in a remote mountain area with no cellular or Wifi network availblity.
Injured Climber Rescued on Colorado Peak - Gripped Magazine
On June 30, a 53-year-old climber was rescued from Snowmass Mountain, a 14,099-foot peak in Colorado’s Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness. After summiting the previous day, the climber injured his wrist while glissading, a technique of sliding down snow slopes, rendering him unable to continue. Stranded near Snowmass Lake at 10,980 feet, approximately 8.3 miles from the trailhead, he used his iPhone’s Emergency SOS via satellite to contact a famil…
Apple Watch Ultra 3 Set To Launch With Satellite And 5G Upgrades - AppleMagazine
One of the standout features of the Apple Watch Ultra 3 is satellite connectivity, a capability already introduced in the iPhone 14 and expanded in subsequent models. This feature allows users to send text messages and request emergency assistance without cellular or Wi-Fi networks, making it ideal for outdoor activities in areas with limited coverage. Unlike the iPhone, which requires specific positioning to connect to satellites, the watch’s s…
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