Colorado Climber Amputates His Arm
Thu May 1,11:57 PM ET Add U.S. National - AP to My Yahoo!



MOAB, Utah - A Colorado climber amputated his own arm Thursday, five days after becoming pinned by a boulder, and he was hiking to safety when he was spotted by searchers, authorities said.



Aron Ralston, 27, of Aspen, was in serious condition late Thursday at a hospital in Grand Junction, Colo.


Ralston was climbing Saturday in Blue John Canyon, adjacent to Canyonlands National Park in far southwestern Utah, when a 200-pound boulder fell on him, pinning his right arm, authorities said.


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


Using his pocketknife, he amputated his arm below the elbow and 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 p.m. 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.


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

 

Yeah, I saw that article earlier - how freaky! I guess his arm was likley badly mangled anyway, but still, I can't even imagine having to amputate my own limbs...
Two questions I have:

1) What kind of knife was it?
and,
2) Where is the arm now?

 

damned coloradans... the question on a local board i'm on that was asked was... how can a man in exceptional physical condition not be able to lift a 200lb rock? big ***** though, to cut off your own arm.

 

Apparently the dude doesn't have too many friends, either, if it took 4 days to begin searching for him and ONLY after he missed work... Further, it's not a very good idea to be doing solo climbs.
I am in the woods/mountains every weekend and it's always with my "sig. otter" and Toby the Wonder Dog.

Well, I guess now to answer that age-old question, (manual v auto), we know what this guy will choose!

 

I wonder if he was able to cut off his arm with one fell swoop of the knife? Or if he had to cut a little, go into shock, cut off some more, go into shock etc. What a horrible thing to have to do.

Chris

 

Here's a question: Why the **** didn't he dig himself out??

 

dood its called biggest ***** evar, not biggest brains evar

 

They later said it was closer to 1000 pounds. I would of had to just die. Sorry I could not bring myself to that.

 

At least he had a knife!!! If not he woulda had to chew thru his own arm like a wild animal.Ive seen wolves do that **** to get out of traps. Imagine chewing on your own arm,UGH thats gross.

 

Well you could consider it similar to someone putting a BP 1.8L engine on your arm and telling you that you have to get it off of you ... ohh yeah and they have to add an extra 60 pounds because the motor is a bit light...
I think it would be a bit difficult especialy when you are laying down and don't have the advantage of leverage...

Bruce

 

This is why I keep my Black *** on level ground ... and outa mountains

 

Oh man.. funny.. in that not politically correct to laugh sorta way..


Anyways .. in response to all the "why didnt he...." comments.. the guy was there for days.. I imagine he tried EVERYTHING.. I imagine it was a well thought out plan to cut off his arm.. and a last resort.

 

My brother's a climber...He always said the sport was too expensive, "costs a damn arm and a leg!"

 

Supposedly, the guy did this with a pocket knife - like a Swiss Army.

OMFG.

~HH