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mendou
Mar 1, 2005, 10:01 PM
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I have heard something about a climber that it had to cut his arm to survive, but i wanna know if anybody knows more about that case.
I have understood that there was a program dedicated to his climber in discovery channel or national geographic, but im not sure...
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johnathon78
Mar 1, 2005, 10:11 PM
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His name was Aron Ralston. He went hiking alone thru a slot canyon named Blue John Canyon. When he began to enter a crevasse he stepped upon a chockstone and began to lower off of it when it began to fall. Next thing he knew, a 1 ton boulder had pinned his Right arm under it. ( more like on the side of it ) He had only limited water and food. He survived for roughly a week before he decided to cut off his own arm. By this time his arm was basically free of feeling and already dead. He used a cheap off brand 2" multi-tool blade to perform the surgury. He then walked a mile out of the canyon. Rapp'd 100ft. and then ran into tourists who ran for help. A chopter soon arrived and transported him to a hospital.
Thats more or less the story. I have to book he wrote, its called " Between a rock and a hard place". Its a good book, but every other chapter talks about other exploits he's had in his life. It kinda rambles on too. Check out your local library for the book.
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j_ung
Mar 1, 2005, 10:17 PM
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Chop chop! :lol: :lol:
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piton
Mar 1, 2005, 11:07 PM
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In reply to: His name was Aron Ralston
geez and i thought it was the drummer from def leppard
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iclimbtoo
Mar 1, 2005, 11:18 PM
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ROTFLMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
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badass
Mar 1, 2005, 11:28 PM
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He also drank his own pee and videotaped the whole thing! no joke
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naw
Mar 2, 2005, 12:57 AM
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the drummer from def leppards only got one arm
the drummer from def leppards only got one arm
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sub-zero
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Mar 17, 2005, 6:10 PM
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That would suck but you have to survive somehow.
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litedawg
Mar 17, 2005, 6:22 PM
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did he have a video camera or just a still camera. I have thumbed through the book and he has some self portraits in there, but it looks like a digital still camera.
Just asking.
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trooper790
Mar 26, 2005, 7:22 AM
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Its pretty amazing how he came back and showed all the naysayers that he could still perform at the level he used to, but I still hate Def Leppard.
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scarpenter
Mar 26, 2005, 8:12 AM
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Have you read the guys stuff? He never "performed" to begin with, in terms of technical climbing ability. He hiked up mountains, but it's not like he cut off a leg.
There is a quote floating around here something like "'If you get strong enough, eventually you'll just pull boulders over on top of yourself' - anonymous". Really, that would properly be attributed to Ralston. :twisted:
(I'm concerned that I've damaged my karma, but when this story first came out I had serious doubts. Then I read his exerpt in Outside magazine, and I was certain. He made bad choices, and got way in over his head. "I downclimbed ten feet with good, incut handholds. It was total commitment. I knew there was no way I could climb back up that." Are you f'ing kidding me?!?
He later explains how the canyon wall was soft and could be carved easily - make some freakin holds then if you can't climb up your ten feet of good holds. And don't lecture me about geology I know there are different layers of different hardnesses. I would at least have tried it if I life-or-death needed to get back up something. Even improvising some aid gear.
Sorry, the story just bugs me. If you search on this site you'll find a number of posts confirming that Aron Ralston is a dangerous decision maker.)
He was on the verge of ending his own life and ruining his parents' lives, but now he's famous. All resulting from a special blend of ignorance and arrogance. Yeah.
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trooper790
Mar 26, 2005, 10:05 AM
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I don't know if you were replying to my post about "performing." But I was talking about the drummer of Def Leppard :shock:
Regardless of the decisions that got him stuck, it still took a hell of a lot to cut his arm off, rap 100' and hike out to where they picked him up. Sure he made mistakes, but he got himself out, and that takes balls.
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scarpenter
Mar 26, 2005, 10:14 AM
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OK, that's hilarious. I thought you were... anyway, yes once Ralston got stuck he pulled some ballsy moves to get out.
In reply to: ...he got himself out, and that takes balls.
The canyon sounds so awesome, and I would love to go there, but I'm not certain I want to go down Stigma Canyon. I guess the desert is plenty big for all of us.
I wonder if Ralston will ever go back and redo the canyon - or has he already. Anybody know?
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trooper790
Mar 26, 2005, 10:32 AM
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He went back with some friends, and Tom Brokaw for 20/20 or whatever show Brokaw is on. I never saw it, but heard it was pretty interesting.
I agree with you that he definatly put himself in that situation, and made some really bad decisions, but he got himself out of it, which is pretty cool.
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lucas_timmer
Mar 26, 2005, 12:20 PM
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In reply to: He also drank his own pee and videotaped the whole thing! no joke |
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ericfrommichigan
Mar 26, 2005, 1:04 PM
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Well specificly, he didn't video tape himself drinking his own urine, but yes his statement is correct, he did drink his own urine, and he did video tape quite a bit during his entrapment. More of a video taped sequence of events/living will and testement from the sounds of it. Based on the fact that he did not think he would make it out.
Anyway, if you read his book, I dont think that he would disagree with the fact that he made a few bad decisions that put him in that position. As a matter of fact, when I was reading his book, quite often he was pretty much saying exactly that. Anyway, I never climbed with him, so I will not judge him. Good book, and muchos grandes cahones.
Also the section of the book that scarpenter is quoting, is Ralston going over whether he would continue down canyon or backtrack up canyon AFTER HE HAD AMPUTATED HIS OWN ARM, AFTER BEING TRAPPED FOR FIVE DAYS, SEVERELY DEHYDRATED, AND BLEEDING PRETTY SEVERLY< NOT TO MENTION THE FACT THAT HIS OTHER HAND WAS ALSO INJURED IN THE INCIDENT. I highly doubt I would have been confident of my ability to climb that section either, the Big Drop Reppel and the way down canyon would have been my choice as well.
Scarpenter, not flaiming you man, but make sure you understand the context of the original writer before you go quoting stuff.
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cliffhanger9
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Mar 26, 2005, 2:39 PM
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In reply to: Have you read the guys stuff? He never "performed" to begin with, in terms of technical climbing ability. He hiked up mountains, but it's not like he cut off a leg.
Yes, I have the book too.
I dont understand the performed part. So what if he never really climbed? Climber, baker, or candlestickmaker - doesn't much matter. Getting into a jam like that and having to make the decision to amputate your own arm is perhaps more traumatic than anything you or I will ever encounter and I think it's fair that he has the right to write a book about that.
Even hardcore, badass, Himalayan climbers who after summiting Lhost, K2, Everest etc. and have had fingers and toes amputated after frostbite dont experience the same type of thing that Aaron had to go through. For one, they probably had the luxury of someone else who knew what they were doing do it (vs. hacking through your own flesh, muscle, arteries, ligaments, tendons, breaking through two bones in your forearm and then coming out the other side. With a 2 inch multitool. with no anesthesia. with no real medical knowledge. To your own arm. not fingers or toes. Your right arm.
I'm not saying he made all or even any of the right choices, but to say he is a quack is rediculous; perhaps some might even call it a special blend of ignorance and arrogance.
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scarpenter
Mar 26, 2005, 11:24 PM
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I guess I shouldn't pass myself off as a Ralston literature expert... In the Outside special article, which I understood to be an exerpt from his book. In that article, he plainly stated the "moment of commitment" - which was an easy downclimb that he knew he wouldn't be able to get back up. I re-read it probably eight times. That's what he said. And it still doesn't make sense to me.
Since Ralston was a dead topic for a long time I held my tongue about him, but since he came up again I guess I decided not to hold back anymore.
I suppose he gets credit for cutting his arm instead of his throat. A triumph of the human spirit...
or something like that.
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stuckinmidwest
Mar 27, 2005, 12:21 AM
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When i first heard of it, everyone was claiming he was a hero. My first instict was that he wasn't a real bright individual. I haven't read the book, but the reports I heard said he didn't have any form of communication, didn't tell anyone where he was exactly going to be, and I think going alone was his biggest mistake. On an endeavor such as that, no matter how much experience you have, accidents can happen. Without any backup, you are forced to have to do something dumb like saw your own arm off.
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sub-zero
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Mar 28, 2005, 4:12 PM
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Tragic story, I only wonder one thing since he made it out did he ever climb again?
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dingus
Mar 28, 2005, 4:22 PM
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I heard he tied the arm to his radio antenna with middle finger extended and drove around his hometown playing the Beastie Boys at 120 decibels.
DMT
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refugee
Mar 28, 2005, 4:36 PM
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In reply to: His name was Aron Ralston. He went hiking alone thru a slot canyon named Blue John Canyon. When he began to enter a crevasse
there are crevasse's in utah? idiot
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modman
Mar 28, 2005, 4:54 PM
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In less than a week after he returned to town he already was known as lefty :D
He also now has a prosthetic arm that has an ice axe instead of a hook on the end. :o
Also, I always find it more than a little self rightious when people complain that he was alone. Like you have never gone into the woods on a solo trip or not knowing exactly where you will be going.
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boss
Mar 28, 2005, 5:21 PM
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In reply to: I heard he tied the arm to his radio antenna with middle finger extended and drove around his hometown playing the Beastie Boys at 120 decibels. DMT
:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
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