same thing almost happened to me.. the bolt and washer came off but the suspension itself was still on.. dunno how long it's been off for... specially after the drive from the mountain...
advice to everyone.. if there's spring washers in there and it seems almost flat.. replace it with a new one.. same strength or better of course..
Just goes to show how important it is to learn as much as you can about your car and look over EVERYTHING whenever you get a chance to stick your head under it.