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hooahjcm
May 2, 2003, 10:36 AM
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This story is really hardcore. I can't believe it.
http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/Central/05/02/climber.amputation.ap/index.html
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deafclimber
May 2, 2003, 11:01 AM
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wow ! he s lucky and tough !
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rwaltermyer
May 2, 2003, 11:17 AM
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i'm not sure what kind of adjectives to describe that....can't imagine saying to myself, "well, here goes my arm....". whew. Praise God he survived after he did cut it off.
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da5id
May 2, 2003, 11:19 AM
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with a pocket knife?? wow... thats pretty hardcore. I'd never be able to do that. whatd he do with the arm?
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howitzer
May 2, 2003, 12:03 PM
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I'd imagine the arm is still under the boulder that fell on it....
ahhem... but what I wonder is how he then set up and rapped with one arm.... that must've taken a dogs age.
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zachres
May 2, 2003, 12:38 PM
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That guy is a serious bad-ass...
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arak42
May 2, 2003, 1:04 PM
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wow, that is bad a**! I don't know if I'd have the guts to do that? You gotta do what you gotta do I guess.
So I wonder if he was right handed. I am and I couldn't imagine trying to set up achors and rap with my left hand. I am left hand retarded!
I hope he makes a fast recovery! (did anyone on here know this guy I wonder?)
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phaedrus
May 2, 2003, 1:07 PM
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I was just reading about this in this morning's Denver Post. That dude is seriously hardcore; one more reason to not go into the outdoors alone.
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deafclimber
May 2, 2003, 1:30 PM
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In reply to: one more reason to not go into the outdoors alone.
very true, but sometimes i like to be alone. oh well.
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wideguy
May 2, 2003, 1:54 PM
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They had an interview on the "Today" show this morning with one of the NPS rescue hikers who flew in to bring him out from the canyon. He said they tried to go back up and see if the arm could be saved but the retrieval team couldn't move the boulder. They estimate it's weight at over 1000 lbs., not 200. He also said that where he was and the way he was pinned, he never would have been spotted from the air. They feel he truly had no choice but to do what he did, but GAWD!!
Balls the size of houses!
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rwaltermyer
May 2, 2003, 1:55 PM
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In reply to: In reply to: one more reason to not go into the outdoors alone. very true, but sometimes i like to be alone. oh well.
I agree. So peaceful. Guess its the chance we all take.
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beyond_gravity
May 2, 2003, 2:27 PM
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CNN Wrote:
In reply to: MOAB, Utah (AP) -- 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, Colorado. 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.
Ya, 200 lbs didn't seem like that much. I saw a thing on TV where a guy crashed a helicopter and he got his leg trapped under for somthing like 5 hours and it had to be amputated. I'm no doctor, but I think this guy probably would have lost his arm anyways.
I wonder if his arm was numb, or if the boulder killed the nerves. I can't imagine doing that! What would be worse would be breaking the bone if it wasn't allready broken.
Use for a swiss army knife: 351.
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sroehlk
May 2, 2003, 3:08 PM
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Oh my, I can't imagine EVER doing that! :shock:
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mikedano
May 2, 2003, 3:41 PM
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that is an amazing story. I'm surprised he didn't go into shock, especially being dehydrated and all. I don't know all that much about medicine and shock and all that, but I figure it would be hard not to pass out while cutting your arm off.
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karlbaba
May 2, 2003, 3:43 PM
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All prop to the mighty Coyote climber!
Rock on Aron!
OK, maybe Rock Off would have been better
Best wishes anyway
Karl
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ptone
May 2, 2003, 3:43 PM
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I wonder if he would have ever imagined that
he could have done something like that in any circumstance?
Probably not!
When death becomes inevitable, something else kicks in, our will to live is pretty intense.
It is sad that the story had to happen...
If the rescue personel couldn't move the boulder tho, he would have lost his arm anyhow. Maybe if he wasn't totally alone, he couldn't have done it even if it was the only way.
They started the search 4 days after, when he didn't show for work....?
Tell someone where and when you are leaving and returning!!! Use a beacon if you're that deep in the wild.
Protect your own ass!
My heart goes out, thinking of days alone and hopeless, and what he had to do.
Speedy recovery!
Peace,
-p
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gretchino
May 2, 2003, 4:12 PM
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Good god! That's pretty hard core...
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holmeslovesguinness
May 2, 2003, 4:17 PM
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Sweet Jesus, that is the epitomy of HARD CORE. Talk about the will to live. I'll bet the next time we hear about this guy the headline will read "One Arm Climber Cranks 5.12".
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thomer
May 2, 2003, 4:21 PM
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I don't think I could ever do that. I say that now, but in that situation, who knows what I would do. But that is pretty amazing.
Thomer
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favorablesteak
May 2, 2003, 5:20 PM
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There's a video about this story here:
http://www.msnbc.com/news/908232.asp?0cv=CB20
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extremist4life
May 2, 2003, 5:35 PM
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That's so CRAZy! Just the thought having to cut off your own arm with a pocket knife? Then rapping down, Damn! At least he's alive.
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buzyrock
May 2, 2003, 5:46 PM
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This news is in the Yahoo! front page. Pretty much a of awe inspiring story. read it
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20030502/ap_on_re_us/climber_amputation
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bandycoot
May 2, 2003, 6:19 PM
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From a practical viewpoint, if you're in that situation tie a VERY tight tourniquet BEFORE you cut the arm off. That way you won't feel it or bleed. Man, I hope that guy thought of this first! What a story.
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sharpie
May 2, 2003, 6:34 PM
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I know he is a trained EMT, and I believe (I heard somebody say this morning) that he is also a trained WFR (wilderness first responder). So, I'm sure not only did he do it right, but he also understood the situational dynamics including dealing with the shock, and dressing the wound after the amputation. He was luckily carrying his first aid kit, which I will definitely try to do more frequently now....
Fu@king Amazing....
:shock:
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centmass
May 2, 2003, 7:21 PM
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In reply to: OK, maybe Rock Off would have been better
:o :shock: :o Yowza! *Rim Shot*
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alpnclmbr1
May 2, 2003, 7:54 PM
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this is the second time I have heard of this happening in colorado.
the first time was a few years ago and the rescuers said he would of been found and would of been better off waiting to be found. Not to say that would of been better in this case.
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crackaddict
May 2, 2003, 8:07 PM
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Really amazing.
What a hardcore dude.
We all hope the best for you Aron.
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msecoda
May 2, 2003, 8:10 PM
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He did what he had to do! I wish him all the best in his recovery.
Just goes to show you how strong the will to survive is.
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slcathena
May 2, 2003, 9:39 PM
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actually while the climber was from colorado, this occurred in the maze area of Canyonlands in South Eastern Utah.
Additionally, the updated stories in the local papers have the authorities saying that the boulder (3 1/2 by 4 1/2 by 2 1/2 feet) probably weighed 600 lbs, so they could not recover his arm
and yes, he did tie a tournaquet first
both:
www.sltrib.com and
www.desnews.com
have pretty up to date stories hyperlinked on their first pages.
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kindredlion
May 2, 2003, 9:44 PM
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Aron...
The sun moon and stars were all lined up and shining for you.
En Sha'Allah
I would be honored to climb with you, and will always be in awe at your strength to persevere.
Call me anytime for a partner man!
(first one armed speed ascents?)
Take Air - plenty of Air,
Adam
Inspire on!
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bonesz
May 2, 2003, 10:37 PM
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Major sports "heros" have to be carried off the fields in stretchers, middleage people have to be ambulanced to the hospital after a fender bender cause their neck hurts.......what's wrong with this picture ??
Makes you think, could I do that, anything like that ?
GOD bless him, my thoughts and prayers are with him for a speedy recovery.
I think the engineers ought to design a prostetic with cams for him. (not intended as really bad humor we can put sattalites into space, we can do something for him)
Please be careful if your're going solo.
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winkwinklambonini
May 2, 2003, 11:47 PM
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Everyone here has the guts to do that. You just have to lie there for five days without water.
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wlderdude
May 3, 2003, 2:41 AM
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I can'y help but wonder what sort of blade on a pocketknife one would use to cut through an arm.
I hope he had a saw or at least a serraded blade. I can't imagine how hard it would be to use a straight blade!
Unless, of course, the bone was already broken and he just had to cut the rest of his arm off.
That's some crazzy stuff!
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addiroids
May 3, 2003, 4:29 AM
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Really ballsy dude. Best wishes and keep doing what you love.
TRADitionally yours,
Cali Dirtbag
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dixieclimber
May 3, 2003, 11:12 PM
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this is one gutsy guy. * note to self never climb with this guy* he was in the news for surviving an avlanche back in february.
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texasclimber
May 4, 2003, 2:24 AM
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Holly crap! I just saw this story on Headline News. Not exactly the press rock climbers need but hey, he's still a bad ass. They said that they spoke with his mother and he is in good spirits.
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enigma
May 4, 2003, 5:02 AM
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In reply to: Holly crap! I just saw this story on Headline News. Not exactly the press rock climbers need but hey, he's still a bad ass. They said that they spoke with his mother and he is in good spirits.
And AOL has one question for everyone :Would you be able to cut off your on arm?? :roll: Scary thought, I could almost feel his desperation!!!
Brave guy, Good to Have Aron alive, he had a strong will to survive. :idea:
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skyscraper
May 9, 2003, 11:19 PM
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WOW. how the heck he could do that i dont know...it makes me wonder though, even if he did put the tourniquet on properly wouldnt he have lost way too much blood and passed out?! jeeeez this is insane... but in a way inspiring.
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sftony
May 9, 2003, 11:45 PM
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Here's a great article by Jim Rome abuot Ralston. IMO, Rome is right on.
http://www.jimromeshow.com/archives/5022003/article/article_4.html
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ambler
May 10, 2003, 12:02 AM
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If you missed the details -- Aron is even tougher than we thought. According to stories that came out yesterday, his "knife" was an imitation Leatherman, so dull it wouldn't scratch his arm the first time he tried to cut through (on day 3). And he realized he could not cut through bone so he had to use leverage and break both bones in his lower arm first, one at a time. Once that was done, he was able to start sawing through. Then tie it off, set his anchors, rappel and hike the 6 miles out. At the news conference yesterday, he seemed matter-of-fact about the feat, and looking forward to the rest of his life.
It's an awesome story of keeping your head when your world has gone incredibly bad.
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dig_scott
May 10, 2003, 2:12 AM
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does anyone know exactly what this guy was doing?
was he climbing? (i doubt it my himself.) was he canyoneering?
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skyscraper
May 10, 2003, 5:06 AM
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yea, as far as I know he was canyoneering-at least thats what my local newspaper says.
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crack_climber
May 10, 2003, 5:10 AM
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WOW....God Bless him....That's amazing...and the way he sounded in his interview on TV was amazing. A very learned man...prayers are with him...
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bagwhan
May 10, 2003, 6:39 AM
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All I can say is---wow.
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iclimbtoo
May 10, 2003, 5:43 PM
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If you take the risks, be ready for the consequences. Obviously, Aron was. Hats off to the biggest badass on the planet!
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