NAVIGATION:  BACK TO MODULE TWO INTRODUCTION

How to Avoid Cutting Your Own Arm Off with a Pocketknife while Canyoneering

The title of this section is misleading...  I do not really have any profound words of wisdom to prevent you from getting into a situation where you would have to cut your own arm off --- this is just an interesting story about an experienced mountaineer-type adventuring alone into a canyon on the Colorado Plateau.  

Many of you heard the story about the young man, Aron Ralston, who cut his own arm off with a Leatherman tool (like the one in the image at right).  Aron was hiking alone down a slot canyon, traversing over/around a large 800 pound rock that was pinned between the canyon walls.  As he climbed over the rock, and down the other side of the rock, his additional weight caused the rock to begin to slide or roll deeper into the canyon.  Somehow, he managed to get his arm pinned between the rock and the canyon wall.  His hand was never retrieved.  Here's a story that describes the events that took place over five long horrifying days...

Mr. Ralston did do a few things RIGHT...  He let people know where he was going... He had food and water and (gulp...) a Leatherman tool...  But he probably shouldn't have been hiking alone in such a remote area!

I heard Aron interviewed on David Letterman a few weeks ago and one thing he said really made me think.  When asked if he thought others would be able to do the same thing (cut their own arm off) he replied something like: "Yes.  I think people in this situation would realize that they have a decision to make, and that is... do I want to experience intense pain for one hour and live; or do I want to die".  He thought most people would come to the same conclusion he did:  they would choose to suffer for a short time in order to survive.