Jessica Bruinsma is a 24 year old Colorado woman who fell over the side of a cliff while hiking in the Bavarian Alps. The injured hiker was missing for three days before her resourcefulness led to her rescue from a remote mountain ledge in southern Germany.
Bruinsma set out for a hike on June 16th. During her trek, she lost her footing and fell 16 feet to a narrow overhang, spending the next 70 hours waiting to be found. She was able to get water by prying open a locked storage box that was located on the ledge.
Jessica badly bruised her leg and dislocated her shoulder in the fall. An out of commission timber transport system, used by area lumberjacks, was the catalyst for signaling others of her position. She secured her sports bra to the limp cable with the hope that it would eventually travel down to the base of the mountain, where it would be discovered. She realized she needed her shirt and jacket for warmth but the bra might serve as an appropriate signal to those on the ground.
The cable system was eventually repaired and the bra did travel down the slope where workers immediately contacted authorities. An Alpine rescue team, with the aid of a helicopter, followed the cable line up the cliff side until they discovered her standing on the ledge, waving her good arm. They circled once and then plucked her to safety by lowering a winch for Bruinsma to secure around herself.
The Colorado hiker had been in Germany to learn the language. She has since decided to return home where she hopes to recover quickly enough to participate in an upcoming marathon. Her goal is to run the 23 mile course in three hours and ten minutes. Bruinsma’s great physical conditioning served her well during the ordeal.
Check out the alpine terrain below.