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On the morning of Sunday, December 11, 20-year-old Blake Alois and his 19-year-old girlfriend, Maddie Popolizio, set out on a hike on Algonquin Peak in New York. It was a 5,115-foot summit and would only take them around three hours to complete.
The couple set out with all the appropriate clothing and gear: hiking equipment, snowshoes, and backpacks filled with food – including granola bars, pizza, fried chicken, Christmas cookies from Alois’ mother, and water.
Alois and Popolizio reached the summit by about noon, but immediately noticed that there was a dense, heavy fog rolling in. They stayed only long enough to take a few photos, and then went on their way back down the mountain.
But the storm took only minutes to hit.
The couple was soon stuck in a whiteout and were no longer able to see their footprints to return to the bottom. “We were terrified — we didn’t know which direction to go and we couldn’t find the trail,” Popolizio remembered. “Visibility was close to nothing.”
“It was like a white abyss,” Alois added. “And then it started snowing and became extremely cold and windy.”
The two tried to make their way to what they assumed was a clearing – but only proceeded to walk off the edge of the mountain and tumble down 100 feet, into a bunch of snow-covered trees. It was then that they realized: they had no other choice but to bunker down and stay alive in any way possible.
Their attempts to start a fire were ravaged by the wind. Cell service was nonexistent. Much of their food was lost when Alois attempted to zip his backpack around Popolizio’s legs for warmth, but he managed to save some frozen chicken, granola bars – and his mother’s cookies.
“Frozen M&Ms and coconut macaroons never tasted so good,” Popolizio said.
The couple ended up being stuck on the mountain for two nights, but helped push each other through the cold, frigid weather by talking, hugging, and holding each other for warmth and comfort.
On the third morning, they heard helicopters and started screaming, hoping someone would hear them and save their lives.
And someone did come save them.
Both Alois and Popolizio were airlifted to the nearest hospital and treated for their frostbite. While Alois has still yet to take his much wanted (and needed) hot shower due to his frostbite treatment, both he and Popolizio are incredibly grateful to be safe in the hospital.
“Death wasn’t an option. We were already inseparable, but now I know that I could spend the rest of my life with him, no question,” Popolizio said.
