Fort Collins resident Regina Stump is sharing her courageous story of survival after falling recently while climbing a 14er in Telluride.

According to CBS4 Denver, Stump had almost reached the summit of El Diente when a boulder she was holding on to suddenly came loose. Losing her grip resulted in a 10-foot free fall, where Stump then collided with another rock and tumbled down an additional 50 feet. While Stump is not sure what broke her fall, she finally came to a stop, where thoughts of being paralyzed immediately crossed her mind.

Fortunately, Stump was able to move her legs, but determined she likely had a broken left wrist. She also had a small gash on her eye and some scrapes and bruises.

Knowing that it would take some time for a rescue team to get to her location, Stump decided to climb back down the mountain — a nearly 7-mile trek. Furthermore, she had lost her water bottle during the fall, and only had two Ibuprofen to help ease her pain.

Once Stump finally reached the bottom, she drove herself to a hospital in Telluride. There, doctors confirmed and reset her broken and dislocated wrist, but Stump was then referred to another hospital for further treatment.

Stump drove herself from Telluride to Montrose the next day, where doctors proceeded to put nine plates in her wrist.

Stump is an experienced and avid hiker, who has taken on fifteen 14ners in just one year. While she wasn't wearing a helmet during the accident, she told CBS4 that she'll always wear one when climbing from now on. Her fall has given her a new outlook on life, and emphasized how important having a positive mindset can be both during challenging situations and in life itself.

The 6 Most Difficult 14ers In Colorado

 

More From Mix 104.3