Richard Moore and his cherished dog Finney set out to climb Blackhead Peak, which is located east of Pagosa Springs, Colorado.
But Moore never returned calls, raising suspicions that something had happened to him.
When Finney's body was finally discovered on October 30, everyone was shocked to learn that she had survived.
The Jack Russell terrier was waiting with her owner in the hopes that assistance would arrive at some point.
The dog was taken to the vet for a checkup after losing half of its weight over the course of the 10-week of waiting, according to CBS.
Delinda VanneBrightyn from Taos Search and Rescue said: "Jack Russells are pretty fierce, I have to say, they're tough little dogs."
She added: "If that dog could talk it would be an amazing story. We probably could not even believe the story the dog would tell."
"We are very glad...that Finney was returned to the family because they have lost their loved one, but they still have this wonderful, loyal dog," she praised a loyal Jack Russell terrier.
Moore was described as a "seasoned hiker," and an examination of his body revealed that hypothermia was the cause of death.
On 19 August, a 71-year-old man was reported missing, prompting authorities to conduct a thorough search of the vicinity.
After more than 2,000 hours of searching, the rescue and search crews had only located his car instead of him and his dog.
The day before Halloween, two months later, a hunter eventually found Moore in the Lower Blanco River area.
Delinda said in a Facebook post: "We searched from just under the peak-top and directly West, searching down the mountain toward where his car was located.
"Winds were directly from the West/Southwest. It was so steep, that we were inserted in by a helicopter. He was found 2.5 miles East of the mountaintop beneath where we were inserted."
The post added: "Delinda and TSAR would like to send our condolences to the family, but are glad they were able to gain some closure as well as bring their dog back home."
Jack Russells are well-adapted for wild survival due to their balanced physical build and coat, and their ability to hunt prey, as demonstrated by Finny's prolonged survival for many weeks.
