3 men rescued off Longs Peak after staying overnight

ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK, Colo. – Three men had to be rescued from Longs Peak Tuesday after spending the night atop the mountain.

The men, Alan Smith, Elijah Holmes and Austin Holmes – from Glen Haven and Estes Park – notified their family members Monday night they were stuck on Kieners Route, but were not requesting assistance from search and rescue crews. The family notified park rangers anyway.

Park rangers got back in touch with the men Tuesday morning and again said they did not want assistance.

But rangers went out anyway, eventually reaching the men just before 3 p.m.

The park says none of the three were injured, but were cold and dehydrated, and could not finish the ascent.

Rangers had to perform two technical rescues to get them off the Kieners Route and another to get them off the northern face of Longs Peak.

The men and rangers reached the trailhead at 10:40 p.m. Tuesday. Family members were there to pick them up and take them for medical attention, according to a spokesman for the national park.