7 days stranded in the wild: how an RV trip almost turned fatal in Colorado

7 days stranded in the wild: how an RV trip almost turned fatal in Colorado

There’s something magnetic about the absolute freedom an RV offers—the open road, the mountains in the distance, no neighbors for miles. It’s the classic American dream on wheels. But as one American found out recently in Colorado, sometimes that craving for adventure leads us a little too far off the beaten track. Imagine a scene straight out of Into the Wild—only with less Hollywood and more reality-check.

From thrilling isolation to a dangerous predicament

Hoping to escape the bustle of everyday life, our hero took his sizable RV and set course for the Colorado mountains. The plan? Find a truly isolated spot—somewhere utterly remote, untouched, and blissfully quiet. He wasn’t counting on getting a starring role in a survival thriller.

Making his way along a narrow dirt road that clung precariously to a cliff’s edge, he decided to trust his instincts—and maybe ignore his inner voice of caution (we’ve all been there, right?). As luck—or fate—would have it, this turned out to be a bad idea: one of the RV’s wheels slipped off, leaving the whole vehicle teetering on the very brink. There’s “living on the edge,” and then there’s, well… literally living on the edge.

Seven agonizing days: Cut off and waiting for rescue

Faced with this precarious situation, common sense prevailed. He abandoned the RV, choosing safety over bravado, and moved away from the vehicle. But now he was up against a new and very serious challenge: total isolation.

No phone signal—meaning no way whatsoever to call for help. And with nothing but the wilderness for company, our would-be explorer set up a makeshift camp outside, hunkering down to wait. The plan (if you can call it that): hope someone else passed by before his patience—or his supplies—ran out.

Days passed. The stars came and went. One day bled into the next. Seven long, nerve-wracking days went by before, finally, rescue appeared on the horizon in the form of a passing motorist. The ordeal was over. His brush with disaster became just another story—luckily, one he could live to tell.

Lessons from the edge: Caution in the search for freedom

This misadventure serves as a not-so-gentle reminder: even the best-equipped RVs can’t make every route safe, and even the most prepared travelers need to respect the limits of nature. There’s a fine line between adventure and recklessness—sometimes it’s as thin as a dirt road clinging to a mountain.

Before you drive off into the wilderness, it’s wise to:

• Carefully check whether the terrain is accessible for your vehicle;
• Plan for alternative means of communication—when the phone network ghosts you, it’s best not to be ghosted by civilization, too;
• Know the rules for safe parking, especially on tricky or remote ground.

The hunger for liberty is at the heart of RV life. It’s what inspires us to leave comfort behind and chase the horizon. But, as this story proves, that quest for freedom always needs a little seasoning with prudence. Otherwise, you could find yourself stranded—quite literally—at the end of the road.

Jules Jourdain, devoted traveler and RV world specialist, creates inspiring articles that mix practical advice, escape stories, and sector news. His mission: to guide fellow adventurers safely through their journeys on the open road—even those that don’t go exactly as planned.