Climber amputates arm to free self

[kythruhiker]

Now that's willpower...

http://www.msnbc.com/news/908232.asp?0cv=CB20

[Jumpstart]

Couldn't believe it when I saw this on the news. That guy is hard core. A good reason to carry something bigger than a swiss army knife, I guess

[Lugnut]

Not trying to be a smartass about it but if he hadn't been out climbing by himself he would still have his arm! At the very least he should have told someone approximately where he was going and when to consider him late. What he did took some guts but it's really hard to feel too sorry for him.
There! Someone had to say it.

[TJ aka Teej]

Lugnut is right. The climber admitted that he neglected to tell anyone where he'd be climbing. He said that he usually leaves an itinerary, but didn't this time.
All it takes is once.

[ganj]

One thing you miss is that most folks would have died out there. Agree that he made a mistake by not leaving an itinerary. But he did what others wouldn't do in order to survive. That's pretty amazing.

[gravityman]

The Denver Post had an interesting article.

Apparently he was almost killed along with a few of his friends this feburary in an avalanche. He said something to the affect that he was in charge of that trip, and ruined the friendships over the decision to ski that day despite the obvious fact that they shouldn't have.

His coworkers said something to the affect that some of the things he does "scare them"

I would say he has a bit of a pattern.

Still, what he did was very very impressive. I agree, most people would not have made it out of there at all... At least he had a med kit that let me do some type of first aid...

Gravity Man

[illininagel]

Last night Jay Leno said that he also had to cut his own arm off after his wife fell asleep against it while watching the movie "The Hours."

[stranger]

Say what you must but I seriously doubt anyone reading this anywhere would have the guts to cut their own arm off. Give credit where credit is due...regardless.

Anyone that disagrees can cut off there arm and send it to me to prove me wrong.

[RagingHampster]

I don't have any sympathy for the guy. Apparently he didn't tell anyone where he was going, and has had a history of poor judgement (caught in an avalanche he was "guiding").

I do tip my hat for working up the gall to cut through his arm with a pen knife. I'm assuming his arm was broken though. I could cut through my flesh, but breaking/cutting my bone would take some serious hyping-up

[kythruhiker]

I was wondering how he managed to get through all that bone...once he heals up, he needs to go on the road as advertising for whatever knive he was carrying. "Need to slice an apple? Do stove maintenance? Clean your fingernails? Cut your arm off while trapped under a boulder?"

[Lone Wolf]

He is a dumbass.

[EarlyRiser]

i think its amazing that he survived, and a tribute to his resourcefullness. apparently he had to repell down a cliff after cutting his arm off and managed to set the anchorings with one hand, atleast thats what i read in an article. very interesting. some people like to take risks, hes certainly been lucky enough, to both survive an avalanche and then this. im sure he will be back on the rocks within a year or so, which will certainly lead to followup stories for the media.

[SkyKing]

Come on guys......your overlooking one WEEEE fact! Yes..he did screw up a few things...........but could YOU ""BREAK"" your own arm then CUT THE DAMN THING OFF??????? I'm not sure I could....but then I've found I could do some amazing things in a time of stress. Give the guy credit where credit is dew!!!!!!!!!!!! His mistakes don't matter....what he did does. You nor I wasn't there. Yeah.....my english SUCKS! What else is new?

[ganj]

Agreed, you all can sit around from the comforts of your own home and call him an idiot. I would agree, but his saving grace is the drastic measures he took in order to preserve his own exsistence. That is beyond anything I have ever had to face in my life and I admire him for it.

[RagingHampster]

I must agree, he is a dumb-ass.

Stupidity is the most dangerous thing in the world.

Most expensive too.

[JackW]

Anyone ever lay in one spot for five days with a boulder on your arm? He probably got bored and needed something to do. "Hey! I know! I'll cut off my arm." The pain that he must have felt just from the pressure of the boulder on his arm may have been an incentive. Of course, immanent death can motivate. The thought of vultures tearing one's flesh or plucking the eyes when in a weakened state could give a shot of motivation. No one wants to be half alive carrion (well, this is an impossibility I know) and fodder for those hungry animals out in the wild. Lots of reasons to do what he did but still he did it.
Yeah, it might have been better if he could have called out on his cell phone or walkie talkie but he did what he had to do. Being a Yahoo doesn't obviate what he did. Anyone going to start carrying a survival knife? Especially the kind with the serrated blade part?

Jack

[Guest]

However, I'll never, ever climb a large boulder. Or even walk near a large boulder (lol). Seriously, I do not think I could cut off my arm, yahoo or not. I'm sure I would just die of fear.

[JackW]

I guess the smart thing to do is to jump out of the way when the boulder begins to move. At least pull your arm away fast. Also make sure that other body parts are not in the place where the boulder is going to stop its rolling. Perhaps we should all carry car jacks if we plan to hike in the wild without a buddy. I think any type of explosive might backfire. I hope that he didn't do this for a book deal. Was he a one armed person all along and made this up?