Rangers recover hiker's amputated arm
Aron Ralston, 27, cut off his own trapped arm and hiked to safety
CANYONLANDS NATIONAL PARK, Utah (AP) ― Thirteen park rangers lugged hoisting equipment into this southeastern Utah park and shifted to a safer spot a 360-kilogram boulder that had pinned a mountain climber until he amputated his own arm with a pocket knife.
After hiking five kilometres to the remote canyon Sunday, the crew was able to lift the egg-shaped boulder and push it into a space where it fit securely. The rangers also recovered the arm of Aron Ralston, who was pinned for five nights before cutting off his arm below the elbow with a pocketknife last Thursday.
Ralston, 27, hiked out of the canyon for help and remained hospitalized in fair condition in Grand Junction, Colo. He was to undergo surgery today to close the wound in preparation for a prosthetic arm. His parents say his spirits remain high.
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Speak Out: What would you do?
Pocket knife amputation - Utah hiker Aron Ralston amputated his arm below the elbow with a pocket knife after being trapped for five nights in a remote canyon when a 360 kilogram boulder pinned his right arm. He said the choice was death or the amputation. What would you have done?
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On Sunday, the rangers slung the chalkstone rock with five-centimetre webbing and moved it up about half a metre until they found a spot where it could fit, said river ranger Steve Young.
A grip hoist, a type of strong winch that uses 1.3-centimetre steel cable, was used to pull the boulder up. Hydraulic jacks were placed on top of wooden cribbing on the floor of the narrow canyon. The jacks were used to push the boulder up and keep it from getting caught on the craggy canyon wall.
The rock apparently had fallen about half a metre when it trapped Ralston, Young said.
The lower portion of Ralston's right arm was recovered Sunday and taken to a mortuary, said Young, who helped move the boulder.
It took about two hours to lift the rock and push it into a new spot. It is still possible the boulder will move again, Young said. The narrow canyon is prone to flash flooding whenever it rains, and the water could sweep it away.
Sunday was the second time rangers attempted to recover the arm; a previous attempt Friday was unsuccessful.
Aron Ralston, 27, cut off his own trapped arm and hiked to safety
CANYONLANDS NATIONAL PARK, Utah (AP) ― Thirteen park rangers lugged hoisting equipment into this southeastern Utah park and shifted to a safer spot a 360-kilogram boulder that had pinned a mountain climber until he amputated his own arm with a pocket knife.
After hiking five kilometres to the remote canyon Sunday, the crew was able to lift the egg-shaped boulder and push it into a space where it fit securely. The rangers also recovered the arm of Aron Ralston, who was pinned for five nights before cutting off his arm below the elbow with a pocketknife last Thursday.
Ralston, 27, hiked out of the canyon for help and remained hospitalized in fair condition in Grand Junction, Colo. He was to undergo surgery today to close the wound in preparation for a prosthetic arm. His parents say his spirits remain high.
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Speak Out: What would you do?
Pocket knife amputation - Utah hiker Aron Ralston amputated his arm below the elbow with a pocket knife after being trapped for five nights in a remote canyon when a 360 kilogram boulder pinned his right arm. He said the choice was death or the amputation. What would you have done?
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On Sunday, the rangers slung the chalkstone rock with five-centimetre webbing and moved it up about half a metre until they found a spot where it could fit, said river ranger Steve Young.
A grip hoist, a type of strong winch that uses 1.3-centimetre steel cable, was used to pull the boulder up. Hydraulic jacks were placed on top of wooden cribbing on the floor of the narrow canyon. The jacks were used to push the boulder up and keep it from getting caught on the craggy canyon wall.
The rock apparently had fallen about half a metre when it trapped Ralston, Young said.
The lower portion of Ralston's right arm was recovered Sunday and taken to a mortuary, said Young, who helped move the boulder.
It took about two hours to lift the rock and push it into a new spot. It is still possible the boulder will move again, Young said. The narrow canyon is prone to flash flooding whenever it rains, and the water could sweep it away.
Sunday was the second time rangers attempted to recover the arm; a previous attempt Friday was unsuccessful.
