Storytime with Anthony DiSalvo

Let's hear a story from Anthony DiSalvo:

I was leading a group of hikers on a moderately difficult trek. We set out on Monday and we had planned on summiting Baldy Mountain in the Northwest corner of the 137,493 acre property. It was Thursday mid afternoon when we reached the 12,441 foot peak, and the sight was breathtaking! When I had checked in with base camp, they had received reports that a severe thunderstorm was coming up on our location, and quickly at that. Our original plan was to make our way back down the mountain and set up camp for the night. With clouds moving in rapidly, it didn't look like we were going to make it even halfway down before conditions would become unsafe.

Mt. Baldy is known for its steep slopes and heavy rain. It is that mountain's worst nightmare. The hikers and I had worked our way down to about 4,000 feet and I decided to hold up there for the night. Right below that point, the side of the mountain dropped off and getting stuck there would be catastrophic. About an hour after the sun went down, we lost radio contact with base camp. The conditions were worsening by the minute. Eventually, I had to make the decision to abandon our tents because we were at risk to be caught in a landslide. We descended about 75 feet when we found a rock outcropping and some solid ground. There we waited out the rest of the storm.

While we slept, one of the scouts awoke and, being quite scared, left the safety of the outcropping. When I woke up early the next morning, I immediately noticed his absence. I managed to regain communication with base camp and radioed for help. For the next few hours, I searched, along with my fellow staff members, for the boy. The rest of my trek crew were transported back to the ranch headquarters with no delay. After many hours of searching, we found the lost scout. He was pretty beaten up, having fallen a good distance down the mountain. We got him air lifted to a local hospital where he made a full recovery. At the end of that day, I put in my two week notice.

I felt that I had failed my place of work, failed the crew I was leading, and failed myself. It was my responsibility to keep my hikers safe, and I nearly lost the boy. So after I quit, I moved back to my home town of Greenvale in hopes that I'd put my past behind me. I started work for a local knick knack shop, a much safer position.

Thanks to Anthony DiSalvo and cast member Nick Errico for sharing this story.