Survival: A Hiker's Tale - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Jem · 05-15-2003, 09:45 PM

Thurs., May 1st was a very bad day for Aron Ralston. Five days earlier, while hiking in Utah's remote Canyonlands National Park, the inveterate mountain man accidentally dislodged a 450 kg boulder, crushing his right forearm and trapping him in the canyon. He'd exhausted his meager resources- a liter of water, two burritos and the sugary remains of a couplr of candy bars- days earlier. Worried that he'd die from dehydration before rescuers arrived, he weighed his options. All were unappealing. So the 27 year old from Colorado amputated his arm with a cheap pocketknife, the sort of device that also houses scissors, pliers, and a corkscrew. It was "what you'd get if you bought a $15 flashlight and got a free multiuse tool," Ralston told reporters last week.

It gets worse. The climber considered cutting off his limb two days before, but found the knife so dull, "I couldn't even cut the hair off my arm." After finally puncturing his skin on the fifth day, Ralston steeled himself for field surgery. "It occurred to me that I might be able to break my bones up at the wrist, where they were pinched between the rock and the canyon wall. Upon manoeuvring myself for about five minutes and really wrestling with it and applying torque in just the right direction, with my arm bent just the right way, I was able to first snap the radius and then in another few minutes snap the ulna (the thinner bone in the forearm) at the wrist, and from there I had the knife out and applied the tourniquet and went to task. It was a process that took about an hour."

Leaving his right hand behind, Ralston then rappelled down an 18-metre cliff, drank from a pool of water on the canyon floor, and walked almost 10 km before he was led to safety by a vacationing Dutch couple. They fed him oreo cookies.

Ralston, who works at a mountaineering store in Aspen, was flooded with hope once he decided to break his bones. He described it as a spiritual experience, fuelled by prayer.

"All the desires and joys and euphorias of a future life came rushing to me, and maybe this is how I handled the pain."

-MacLean's Magazine, May 19th 2003, p. 15

Jem · 05-15-2003, 09:47 PM

Here's another article.

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drm...949039,00.html

Truth · 05-15-2003, 10:06 PM

Aw Yea i heard about that a week ago or so, brave man lol

Crimson and Clover · 05-15-2003, 10:07 PM

i read about that in our local paper. i could not have done what he did. that must have been really horrible.

Brian · 05-15-2003, 10:52 PM

That was absolutely brave. But every time I think about it it makes me a little sick. No offense.

smilecharmer · 05-15-2003, 11:00 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Crimson_and_Clover
i read about that in our local paper. i could not have done what he did. that must have been really horrible.

agreed

¤I Love Clay Aiken¤ · 05-16-2003, 01:13 AM

Oh meangya I heard about that last week.

I guess when it comes between a matter of life and death, you'll do anything.

05-15-2003, 09:45 PM	#1
Jem Member Forum Regular Join Date: Feb 25, 2003 Location: Canada Posts: 625	Survival: A Hiker's Tale Thurs., May 1st was a very bad day for Aron Ralston. Five days earlier, while hiking in Utah's remote Canyonlands National Park, the inveterate mountain man accidentally dislodged a 450 kg boulder, crushing his right forearm and trapping him in the canyon. He'd exhausted his meager resources- a liter of water, two burritos and the sugary remains of a couplr of candy bars- days earlier. Worried that he'd die from dehydration before rescuers arrived, he weighed his options. All were unappealing. So the 27 year old from Colorado amputated his arm with a cheap pocketknife, the sort of device that also houses scissors, pliers, and a corkscrew. It was "what you'd get if you bought a $15 flashlight and got a free multiuse tool," Ralston told reporters last week. It gets worse. The climber considered cutting off his limb two days before, but found the knife so dull, "I couldn't even cut the hair off my arm." After finally puncturing his skin on the fifth day, Ralston steeled himself for field surgery. "It occurred to me that I might be able to break my bones up at the wrist, where they were pinched between the rock and the canyon wall. Upon manoeuvring myself for about five minutes and really wrestling with it and applying torque in just the right direction, with my arm bent just the right way, I was able to first snap the radius and then in another few minutes snap the ulna (the thinner bone in the forearm) at the wrist, and from there I had the knife out and applied the tourniquet and went to task. It was a process that took about an hour." Leaving his right hand behind, Ralston then rappelled down an 18-metre cliff, drank from a pool of water on the canyon floor, and walked almost 10 km before he was led to safety by a vacationing Dutch couple. They fed him oreo cookies. Ralston, who works at a mountaineering store in Aspen, was flooded with hope once he decided to break his bones. He described it as a spiritual experience, fuelled by prayer. "All the desires and joys and euphorias of a future life came rushing to me, and maybe this is how I handled the pain." -MacLean's Magazine, May 19th 2003, p. 15
	__________________ There is no such thing as revenge You will not give as good as you got There is no such thing as an eye for an eye If you think you're the giver, you're not There is no such thing as regret There is no point in placing the blame Hate destroys the one who hates And everyone suffers the same There is only love and respect To thine own self be true When you point the finger There are three fingers pointing back at you

05-15-2003, 10:06 PM	#3
Truth •°·Alien Believer·°• Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: May 15, 2001 Posts: 3,463	Aw Yea i heard about that a week ago or so, brave man lol
	__________________ Justin (I am an Alien Believer ) (A Seattle Mariner Fan) (And Down with Spyware!) R.I.P John Ritter

05-15-2003, 10:07 PM	#4
Crimson and Clover Member Forum Star Join Date: Jun 09, 2002 Location: NC Posts: 17,345	i read about that in our local paper. i could not have done what he did. that must have been really horrible.
	__________________ Friend me: http://www.facebook.com/MaryLynnCall My Etsy shop http://www.etsy.com/shop/MotherMary You'll never find a sweeter combination As peace and love - Mishka

05-16-2003, 01:13 AM	#7
¤I Love Clay Aiken¤ MISS APRIL Forum Addict Join Date: Jul 19, 2001 Location: Parsonsfield ME Shaws - Screwing my way up the employment ladder! Posts: 68,780	Oh meangya I heard about that last week. I guess when it comes between a matter of life and death, you'll do anything.
	__________________ DAVID COOK FOR AMERICAN IDOL

05-15-2003, 09:47 PM	#2
Jem Member Forum Regular Join Date: Feb 25, 2003 Location: Canada Posts: 625	Here's another article. http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drm...949039,00.html

05-15-2003, 10:52 PM	#5
Brian Member Forum Celebrity Join Date: Jun 23, 2001 Posts: 20,451	That was absolutely brave. But every time I think about it it makes me a little sick. No offense.