How Rocky the dog survived 43 days alone in Colorado mountains

An amazing story was recently shared about a dog who, after being lost in the cold Colorado wilderness for roughly a month and a half, was rescued and reunited with his owners.

Who is the Dog that Was Lost in Colorado?

The dog is 10 years old and is named Rocky. His owner, Steven Maa, attempted to drop him off at a sitter near Montezuma in Summit County on December 28, 2025, while on a trip to Los Angeles to begin a new job, but Rocky escaped into the wilderness shortly after they arrived.

Rocky the Dog Miraculously Survived the Colorado Wilderness for 43 Days

When Rocky went missing, Maa called Summit Lost Pet Rescue, and he helped the team search for his dog for about a week, but had to head to Los Angeles to begin his new job.

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The 10-year-old dog was spotted on December 31 twice, but when approached, barked at the people who spotted him and retreated back into the woods.

Then, Rocky was spotted again, this time on camera, by a woman in Kansas who owns a home in Montezuma, who reported seeing him on her porch. Unfortunately, attempts made by Summit Lost Pet Rescue to retrieve him were unsuccessful.

Rocky was spotted again, this time on the same camera but in a trap that Summit Lost Pet Rescue set up, but he didn’t trip the trap and once again retreated. However, Rocky returned to the trap and tripped it, and the team was able to retrieve Rocky, notifying Maa, who drove back to Colorado and was reunited with his dog on February 13.

Rocky’s Colorado Wilderness Survival was Rough

Summit Lost Pet Rescue deserves an immense amount of praise for rescuing Rocky, and it’s nothing short of a miracle that the 10-year-old dog survived. In his 43 days in the wilderness, Rocky avoided being attacked by wildlife and avoiding vehicles, but he did lose a significant amount of weight as he was 50 pounds when he escaped and only 28 pounds when he was rescued.

Check out the full story from the Aspen Times here, and check out the video of Rocky being reunited with his human, Maa, here.

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