BOULDER, Colo. (KDVR) — A man took his "adventure cat" up the Boulder Flatirons in Colorado, but the climb did not go as planned.
People typically say a dog is a man's best friend, but for Austin Wolff, his best friend is a cat.
Her name is Link, and Wolff rescued her about two years ago and trained her to be what he calls an "adventure cat" because they go on hiking and climbing adventures together.
With Link in a backpack, Wolff set out to climb the Flatirons last Thursday.
According to Colorado.com, the Flatirons are "slanted, reddish-brown sandstone formations that make up a portion of Boulder’s foothills."
The pair started around 3:30 p.m., expecting to have enough daylight to complete the trip, but it took longer.
Wolff said it was pitch-black, and he was with an inexperienced climber and didn't trust going down without a headlight, so he called for help. The two climbers and the cat waited in the cold and dark until the Rocky Mountain Rescue Group arrived.
"It took a little bit of a hit on my pride to have to call someone. However, it definitely was the right call," said Wolff. "There was no point in staying up there and risking our safety, my cat's safety. It was just smarter to take one to the teeth and call someone."
When rescue crews arrived, they were surprised to meet the cat, Wolff told Nexstar's KDVR. He may have left that part out on the call for help.
Crews gave them headlamps and lowered everyone to the ground safely, arriving after midnight.
The Rocky Mountain Rescue Group posted a picture on Facebook saying the rescuers were "Moonlighting as MEOWtain Rescuers!"
While many were worried for Link's safety, Wolff said she napped and snored through the rescue.
Wolff and Link have visited eight national parks so far, and despite this latest incident, they have a goal to visit all 63.
Next, they're headed to Utah and Arizona.