# Climber amputates arm then hikes to safety! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 2, 2003, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/climber-amputates-arm-then-hikes-to-safety/172581 "2003-05-02T06:37:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2003, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/climber-amputates-arm-then-hikes-to-safety/172581/21 "2003-05-02T19:08:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by White Lightning \* > \*\*He’s gotta be kicking himself though. He amputated his arm, started hiking home, and was spotted by search helicopters that same afternoon. Pretty good odds that if he’d stayed put they’d have found him almost as quickly, no? \*\* The story I read said that he ran into a couple of other hikers, who then went out and flagged down the helicopter. So, no, probably not. ---
**Author:** ![Jpeg\_Jones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/4bbf92/32.png) [@Jpeg\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jpeg_Jones)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2003, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/climber-amputates-arm-then-hikes-to-safety/172581/22 "2003-05-02T19:12:25Z")
What a _wuss_! Why, I once chewed my own torso off in boredom during a wedding ceremony. And this guy has to wait for a rock-climbing accident? Puh-leeze. ---
**Author:** ![rsa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/839c29/32.png) [@rsa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rsa)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2003, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/climber-amputates-arm-then-hikes-to-safety/172581/23 "2003-05-02T19:18:53Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by White Lightning \* > Pretty good odds that if he’d stayed put they’d have found him almost as quickly, no? That was my thought at first since it had just been realized that he was missing and the search only started the day that he freed himself. But earlier today I saw an interview with the helecopter pilot who picked him up. The pilot said that he later flew over the area where the climber was trapped and that it was in such a tight area with overhangs, that even flying directly over the site he wouldn’t have seen him. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2003, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/climber-amputates-arm-then-hikes-to-safety/172581/24 "2003-05-02T19:32:16Z")
“Wow, wonder how that marmot got so big…” ---
**Author:** ![Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19adc/32.png) [@Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2003, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/climber-amputates-arm-then-hikes-to-safety/172581/25 "2003-05-02T20:08:26Z")
Apparently his arm was crushed by a one-tonne boulder on Saturday-- he ran out of water on Tuesday-- and sawed his arm off yesterday. I’m guessing he already went past the point of no return when it comes to pain-- and that he’d already lost a lot of liquid content, helping minimize blood loss. The story I read says he tied a tourniquet on after cutting off his arm, but that sounds backwards to me. ---
**Author:** ![Grim\_Beaker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/46a35a/32.png) [@Grim\_Beaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grim_Beaker)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2003, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/climber-amputates-arm-then-hikes-to-safety/172581/26 "2003-05-02T20:09:08Z")
Me and my wife discussed him during lunch today. After speaking about his ordeal and what he went through we both paused for a few seconds and then sighed at the same time. We were exhausted just talking about! I am just amazed at this guy’s sheer toughness and will to survive. Rambo ain’t got nuthin on this guy. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2003, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/climber-amputates-arm-then-hikes-to-safety/172581/27 "2003-05-02T20:52:05Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by White Lightning \* > **He’s gotta be kicking himself though.** Well, he certainly isn’t patting himself on the back. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2003, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/climber-amputates-arm-then-hikes-to-safety/172581/28 "2003-05-02T20:58:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by QueerGeekGirl \* > I’m with **Fugazi** ; I wouldn’t want to meet his ass in a dark alley. I wouldn’t worry about that. With a dude like this, there’s a very good chance his ass will not be attached to the rest of his body. ---
**Author:** ![jackelope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@jackelope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackelope)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2003, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/climber-amputates-arm-then-hikes-to-safety/172581/29 "2003-05-02T23:22:40Z")
> [@](#): > > …when a 200-pound boulder fell on him, pinning his right arm… 200 pounds? That doesn’t seem so heavy that it would be immovable to someone “in exceptional physical condition.” Certainly not to someone tough enough to cut his own arm off. Maybe he was otherwise wounded by the boulder? What’s not jibing for me here is that he was in good enough condition to rappel _one-handed_ to the canyon floor, but couldn’t get his arm out from under a 200-pound rock. ---
**Author:** ![Mirror\_Image\_egamI\_rorriM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e56c9b/32.png) [@Mirror\_Image\_egamI\_rorriM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mirror_Image_egamI_rorriM)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2003, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/climber-amputates-arm-then-hikes-to-safety/172581/30 "2003-05-02T23:49:45Z")
It was actually 800 to 1000 pounds. I don’t know how the size got misreported, there’s a big different between 200 pounds and half a ton. ---
**Author:** ![jackelope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@jackelope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackelope)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2003, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/climber-amputates-arm-then-hikes-to-safety/172581/31 "2003-05-02T23:59:27Z")
That makes more sense. Where’d you get that figure, out of curiosity? ---
**Author:** ![Eonwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eonwe/32/240_2.png) [@Eonwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eonwe)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2003, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/climber-amputates-arm-then-hikes-to-safety/172581/32 "2003-05-03T00:06:43Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by gallows fodder \* > So either Prof. Thomas was wrong, a severed arm doesn’t bleed as much as a leg, the climber cut off his arm really quickly, or he is one badassed mofo and should be made a knight or a superhero or _something_. Well, this is far from expert information, but I understand that there are much more/larger veins and such in the legs. Whenever surgeons need blood vessels, they always seem to be taking them from the legs. So, I’d guess that one would bleed more from the legs than arms. ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2003, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/climber-amputates-arm-then-hikes-to-safety/172581/33 "2003-05-03T01:03:32Z")
Leatherman use #568. It’s pretty damn sad though. He only had a couple more of the 14ers to go, which is something not a whole lot of people ever finish. Although most of them are pretty easy. If he didn’t leave the hard ones till last then he might still finish them with one arm( and maybe a #5 DORRANCE STAINLESS STEEL HOOK. 😉 ) ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2003, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/climber-amputates-arm-then-hikes-to-safety/172581/34 "2003-05-03T03:21:46Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Grim\_Beaker \* > **Me and my wife discussed him during lunch today.** Yum. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2003, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/climber-amputates-arm-then-hikes-to-safety/172581/35 "2003-05-04T21:43:31Z")
[In this followup story](http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=514&ncid=514&e=5&u=/ap/20030504/ap_on_re_us/climber_s_choice), it’s pretty clear that Ralston “almost didn’t need rescue”. There is some more infor about his climbing route, but most interestingly he was found within a mile of his vehicle. He rapelled down the cliffside and was hiking back to his truck. He was minutes away from driving himself to the hospital. ---
**Author:** ![Ender\_Will](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Ender\_Will](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ender_Will)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2003, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/climber-amputates-arm-then-hikes-to-safety/172581/36 "2003-05-05T02:31:08Z")
A few years ago my friend told me he’d heard a story about a guy that had to amputate his leg at the knee with a Leatherman, in a similar situation. Don’t know if there’s any truth behind that one, but ever since we’ve all decided that anyone who does anything like that autimatically qualifies for enterance into the Badass Hall of Fame. How you can actually go through with it is beyond me. I can see getting to the point where, rationally, you know that your only hope for survival is to cut off the arm. But then when it comes time for steel to meet flesh, how can you do it? Impressive self control to say the least. ---
**Author:** ![Grelby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a5b964/32.png) [@Grelby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grelby)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2003, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/climber-amputates-arm-then-hikes-to-safety/172581/37 "2003-05-05T02:48:56Z")
What I’m amazed more people haven’t commented on is that, not only did he amputate his own arm, he did it with a _pocketknife!!!_:eek: That’s just insane. Hell of a guy. I just think it’s too bad that he had to lose his arm. But that’s a hell of a lot better than being dead, and shows an amazing level of strength, courage and will to live. ---
**Author:** ![MysteryFellow63427](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e4f/32.png) [@MysteryFellow63427](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MysteryFellow63427)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2003, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/climber-amputates-arm-then-hikes-to-safety/172581/38 "2003-05-05T03:53:08Z")
I hope this guy becomes a grandfather one day. That would be one hell of a story to tell the grandkids. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2003, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/climber-amputates-arm-then-hikes-to-safety/172581/39 "2003-05-06T00:32:00Z")
The question isn’t “how will he continue climb with only one arm”, it’s “how will he continue to climb with balls that big”. ---
**Author:** ![rsa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/839c29/32.png) [@rsa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rsa)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2003, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/climber-amputates-arm-then-hikes-to-safety/172581/40 "2003-05-06T01:07:46Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ender\_Will \* > A few years ago my friend told me he’d heard a story about a guy that had to amputate his leg at the knee with a Leatherman, in a similar situation. Don’t know if there’s any truth behind that one… That may be the guy I saw on TV this morning. It was about 10 years ago and he was trapped under his tractor. He seemed more upset about being trapped (as in claustrophobic) than having to cut off his leg. [yikes] [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/climber-amputates-arm-then-hikes-to-safety/172581.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/climber-amputates-arm-then-hikes-to-safety/172581.md?page=3)