The lengths people go to...

[Oz]

Trapped climber amputates arm to free himself
May 2 2003

Moab, Utah: A climber amputated his own arm five days after becoming pinned by a boulder, and began hiking to safety before being spotted by searchers, authorities said.

Aron Ralston, 27, was in a serious condition at a hospital in Grand Junction, Colorado.

Ralston was climbing last Saturday in Blue John Canyon, adjacent to Canyonlands National Park in far southwestern Utah, when a 90-kilogram boulder fell on him, pinning his right arm, authorities said.

He ran out of water on Tuesday and yesterday morning, he decided that his survival required drastic action.

Using his pocketknife, he amputated his arm below the elbow, applied a tourniquet and administered first aid.

He then rigged anchors, fixed a rope and rappelled to the canyon floor.

He hiked downstream and was spotted about 3 pm by a Utah Public Safety Helicopter. The search for Ralston had begun the same morning, after authorities were notified he was four days overdue reporting for work.

Authorities described Ralston as an avid outdoorsman in exceptional physical condition. They said he was known to have climbed 49 of Colorado's major peaks.

[primera man]

I dont even want to think about him having to do it

[YogsVR4]

Can you imagine having to come to a decision to do that to yourself. Amazing.

[freakray]

Man, that guy has some serious courage to do that.......I hope he will be alright.

[SiRI]

wow, severed his own arm with a pocket knife, what a decision.. hope he turns out fine..

[Amish_kid]

90 kg's is roughly what 195 lbs
shouldn't he have been able to squeeze his arm out if it was only 195 lbs?
geez I mean with one arm and 2 feet he could have figured out something to save his arm

[freakray]

Originally posted by Amish_kid
90 kg's is roughly what 195 lbs
shouldn't he have been able to squeeze his arm out if it was only 195 lbs?
geez I mean with one arm and 2 feet he could have figured out something to save his arm

That is totally dependant on the position he was trapped in (with your arm pinned under something, could you use your feet to push it off?).
Also don't forget the rock could have been wedged in a hollow or in any number of other ways that was just not moveable.

[SilverLotus340R]

with a pocket knife??? WTF!?

that musta hurt like a bitch...

and how do u get through bone with a pocket knife??

[Amish_kid]

Originally posted by freakray


That is totally dependant on the position he was trapped in (with your arm pinned under something, could you use your feet to push it off?).
Also don't forget the rock could have been wedged in a hollow or in any number of other ways that was just not moveable.

I suppose but yeah it wouldn't be too hard to try to use your legs all you have to do is just get your legs up against the rock and us your legs to move the rock and your other arm to pull on the arm and it might work all I know is that I think I would give this a good long try before hacking off my arm. Tough son of a bitch though I don't think i'd be able to cut off my own arm

[turbo2nr]

makes my face look like thinkin about it..
amazing will power..

1

[90EX]

An article from a different source estimated the boulder weighed 800 pounds.

[grimmy]

well at least he had a pocket knife. think what it would have been like if he only had some nail clippers, or like a spork from his breakfast at mcdonalds.

[YellowMaranello]

I'd love to shake this guy's hand, oh, wait....

[Toksin]

Balls the size of frickin coconuts.

[v10_viper]

Holy shit, I'm watching it on tv right now, haha, lucky guy, they said he's getting a prosthetic(sp) arm too and he'll be ok. wow......