Parkway Central Grad Hailed After 2-Day Ice Storm Ordeal in Colorado

Connie Yang, 32, a 1999 Parkway Central graduate, and her co-worker, Suzanne Turell, 33, went through a two-day ordeal after being caught in an ice storm on one of the tallest mountain peaks in Colorado, according to various media reports.

The pair recounted their experience in a Tumblr blog post.

The ordeal ended on Friday when the pair hiked out to safety from their outing on Longs Peak in the Rocky Mountains, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

“They walked down the trail, and the Forest Service picked them up with their car,” Yang’s father, Chen Yang, of Brentwood, told the newspaper in an article on Friday.

The pair blogged about the ordeal in a post to Tumblr on Tuesday.

"Before we began, we discussed the entire trip with the (Rocky Mountain National Park) backcountry office, reviewing the 5-day weather forecast for the park and specifically for Longs Peak," they wrote. "For the first few days, the weather was as forecasted: each afternoon there were thunderstorms, heavy rain, even hail, but each evening the dry western air dried us out for the next day’s hike. On Monday, September 9th the weather took a turn for the worse."

The pair expressed their gratitude to a variety of people and agencies in the blog post and urged readers to donate to those affected by the flooding in Boulder.

"Colorado is facing a serious disaster right now. If you would like to show your support, please consider donating to the ongoing efforts or to Rocky Mountain National Park. Thank you to our friends and families for your tireless efforts and unquestioning support."

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