By RTL News··Modified:
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A Canadian woman was rescued from a mountainous area in the United States last weekend after a massive search. She had disappeared during a spiritual retreat aimed at merging with nature. That's why she didn't have her phone with her.
Gina Chase, 53, was camping with 10 others in a remote area of Colorado. According to The New York Times, she was traveling with an organization that organizes spiritual retreats with the intention of being “alone in nature.”
Participants are asked to fast and not bring their phones.
Solo trip without phone
Chase left late Wednesday morning on a “solo hike” to a mountaintop in the area. She had a blanket, but no phone. When she didn’t return the next day, the retreat organizers called police. She may have been lost.
Chase was found Saturday afternoon after an extensive search that also included the use of drones, aircraft and police dogs. She was not injured.
The organization behind the resort thanked the rescuers in a Facebook post for the rescue operation. The company says it has been organizing trips in the vast area since 1980, and nothing serious has ever gone wrong. According to the company, there is no doubt that there is a “spiritual camp,” but it has not explained exactly what is happening in the mountains.
Colorado State Police say it's essential to always have a means of communication when hiking in the vast area. “Furthermore, you should never starve yourself, even if your guide claims otherwise,” the police warned in a critical message.
Thousands of euros
According to the New York Times, the spiritual retreats cost between 1,600 and 2,700 euros. The organization does not want to say whether the Canadian woman was actually fasting when she disappeared.
