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Author
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Topic: So Krusty; does this guy have balls, or what?
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Leonard
HMFIC
Member # 2
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posted May 03, 2003 09:53 AM
Aron Ralston cut off his right arm with a pocket knife after being trapped for something like five days on the side of a canyon.
I don't know if I could do that? Rock climbers are some tough cookies.
Of course, I think about some times where I have put myself in similiar position. Some of the decents I have done to save steps were definitely a little risky. In fact, my son nearly bled to death when he unknowingly pulled a split rock straight down on his knee, and the knife edge sliced him to the bone.
Makes you think.
Good hunting. LB
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EL BEE Knows It All and Done It All.
Don't piss me off!
Posts: 32375 | From: Upland, CA | Registered: Jan 2003
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Krustyklimber
prefers the bunny hugger pronunciation: ky o tee
Member # 72
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posted May 03, 2003 10:44 AM
Yeah, Aaron is an incredible dude!
I am not sure he and are made of the same stuff though...
Pretty incredible story huh?
This is the pinnacle (parden the pun) of Aaron's crazy adventures... he has long been a solo climber of extrodinary abilities.
But this shows exactly why the buddy system is a great thing for all outdoorsmen (and women)... while Aaron as able to amputate his badly crushed arm, set up anchors and rappel 60 feet to the ground, get himself to help, he even walked into the hospital under his own power, HE IS THE EXCEPTION TO THE RULE!!!
Most ordinary human beings would have perished there, pinned under 1000 pounds of rock (where Aarons arm is still to this day).
The last years of my climbing were spent, like Aaron spent many of his climbing days... alone with nobody to save my bacon from the fire should I fall on in.
This is a huge part of why I am now a hunter... and why I always try to hunt with a partner.
Much like Leonard's son who may have really needed a partner that day, a little mistep, or miscalculation, can be disasterous even deadly.
A friend is a good thing to have... a good friend is even better!
Aaron really coulda used a friend that day!
Jeff 
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Think about how stupid the average person is, then realize that half of them are stupider than that!
Posts: 1912 | From: Deep in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia | Registered: Jan 2003
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Barry
Knows what it's all about
Member # 34
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posted May 03, 2003 09:14 PM
OK, cutting off the meat just below the elbow is one thing.But cutting through the bone must have been...Hes got my vote for MAN of the year.
Posts: 133 | From: Trinidad CO. | Registered: Jan 2003
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Seldom Ever
Knows what it's all about
Member # 185
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posted May 04, 2003 04:09 AM
quote:
A friend is a good thing to have... a good friend is even better!
Jeff,truer words have never been spoken...ok,rarely ever spoken ![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
[ May 04, 2003, 04:13 AM: Message edited by: Seldom Ever ]
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One Shot,One Kill.
Posts: 293 | From: West Virginia | Registered: Apr 2003
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Rich
2,000th post PAKMAN
Member # 112
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posted May 04, 2003 07:49 AM
The man has courage, I will give him that. I am waiting to hear more details involving the condition of that arm when he cut it off. I'm betting that the large rock had broken the bones in that forearm, so he only had flesh to cut. Either way, it is amazing to me that he didn't bleed to death.
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If you call the coyotes in close, you won't NEED a high dollar range finder.
Posts: 2854 | From: Iowa | Registered: Feb 2003
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Bob in TX
Knows what it's all about
Member # 66
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posted May 04, 2003 08:17 AM
He was climbing by himself and he did not tell anyone where he was. It was his work that alerted the authorities when he did not show-up. It sounds like he was a tad over confident.
That said........
Mui Grande Cajones!!!
Bob
Posts: 51 | From: San Antonio, Texas | Registered: Jan 2003
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Leonard
HMFIC
Member # 2
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posted May 04, 2003 08:43 AM
All I know is that it gives me much to ponder. Things can happen out there. My wife has pointed out that she doesn't even know what state I will be in, half the time, when I leave on a trip. And, she's right....usually is, come to think of it?
But I bet this man (pardon the pun) would give his right arm for a signal flare. He must have seen or heard helicopters searching for him, they must have found his vehicle, maybe his bike? They knew where to look, but it was still like finding a needle in a haystack.
My guess is he separated the arm at the elbow joint, and by then there wasn't much feeling left in the arm, due to lack of circulation.
Doesn't matter, I'd buy him a beer! In fact, I bet he doesn't have to pay for his own beer for a long time.
Good hunting. LB
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EL BEE Knows It All and Done It All.
Don't piss me off!
Posts: 32375 | From: Upland, CA | Registered: Jan 2003
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Krustyklimber
prefers the bunny hugger pronunciation: ky o tee
Member # 72
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posted May 04, 2003 09:58 AM
Yes Rich, you got it right... the bones were broken. And the over 1000 pounds of rock were doing and excellent job of keeping circulation from allowing him to bleed out.
Bob, overconfidence is like hindsight... had the rock not dislodged and trapped him going solo would not, and still may not, have been a bad thing for Aaron.
Many highly competent climbers solo... it takes a special mindset to do it though... very much like cutting off your own arm would.
Leonard, this does give us much to think about eh?
As a soloist myself, I always made a point of leaving a very detailed description of where I'd be, when I was expected home, and how long to wait before sending help.
Maybe a map stuck to the refrigerator is a good idea for all of us!?!
The boulder that tipped over on him was blocking the view from above, and he was in a very narrow part of the canyon... it is thought that he wouldn't have been able to be picked off of the ledge by a chopper anyway.
He was a needle inside of a piece of straw, deep inside the haystack.
I am sure, he had merely resigned himeself to die... but after a couple of days, he realized he wasn't gonna die... So he went to work solving the problem (boy were just full of puns) at hand!!!
There is some bone left below the elbow... and there is already talk of a prosthesis (a fake arm) and Aaron's comeback to climbing... you just can't keep a good man down!!!
As far as the cold beer goes... the one and only complaint/request he had was he was thirsty... he asked for water, and repeatedly said "I am ok now... I am ok now..."
When I get a minute or two I will find an update on his condition... the climbing sites are all abuzz over this.
Jeff
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Think about how stupid the average person is, then realize that half of them are stupider than that!
Posts: 1912 | From: Deep in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia | Registered: Jan 2003
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Bryan J
Cap and Trade Weenie
Member # 106
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posted May 04, 2003 03:14 PM
I was watching the news with my dad when I first heard of this incident. I looked at my dad in disbelief. His face held the same expression. My dad had his hand amputated due to a farming accident back in the late 70’s. I’m sure the pain involved in the accident is still a vivid memory, and he couldn’t imagine doing it to himself intentionally.
Dad has continued to farm and there is little he can’t do. I believe if this guys will to climb is as great as his will to survive he will be climbing in a year or so.
Posts: 599 | From: Utah | Registered: Feb 2003
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NASA
Knows what it's all about
Member # 177
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posted May 09, 2003 06:05 PM
According to an interview with Aron, he had wedged his arm under the boulder for leverage. As he shifted his weight, the boulder rolled onto his arm breaking it in three places. He used his speedos for a tourniquet. He only had a dull, cheap utility knife with him. He tried to hone it on the rock but it didn't help much.
He cut the skin below the elbow and peeled it back. Then he cut the muscle to get to the bone. He said the hardest part was cutting thru the bone break with a dull knife.
Rescue workers went back to the spot and recovered his arm. They said it took 3 men to move the 800+ lb. boulder.
p.s.- He said he has every intention to resume rock climbing. With his new prostetic arm!
[ May 09, 2003, 06:11 PM: Message edited by: NASA ]
Posts: 1168 | From: Typical White Person | Registered: Apr 2003
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yotecaller
Knows what it's all about
Member # 179
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posted May 09, 2003 06:43 PM
All of us NH are that tuff
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May God be with You.
Posts: 28 | From: NH | Registered: Apr 2003
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Ernest Sandoval
Knows what it's all about
Member # 156
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posted May 10, 2003 06:33 AM
something to think about, I'm always, out alone, I leave, a written note where I'm going, but sometimes, I change my mind, and go 50miles the other way, might start leaving a map with 1st., option and 2nd., option, just in case the cell phone is out of range.
Posts: 18 | From: Las Cruces, New Mexico, USA | Registered: Mar 2003
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