Trapped hiker cuts off arm

Without food or water for two days, Aron Ralston, 27, of Aspen, Colo., realized Thursday his survival in a remote area near Canyonlands National Park required drastic action.

He used a pocket knife to amputate his right arm below the elbow to free himself from a 600- to 800-pound boulder.

"He's a warrior. He's a survivor," said Stephen Swanke, who, as commander of the rescue, met Ralston at the hospital in Moab. "He has a definite will to live."

The decision to amputate was Ralston's last resort, Swanke said, based on evidence left at the scene of the boulder. Ralston's ropes and rigging equipment were found around the boulder, indicating he tried several times to pry himself out.

Swanke described Ralston as an "astute" outdoors enthusiast in exceptional physical condition. He was training for an expedition in Alaska's Denali National Park.

On Saturday Ralston began canyoneering in Bluejohn Canyon, near the Maze District of the Canyonlands just west of the Colorado River. The adventure was to last one day.

But in a 3-foot section of the canyon, the 3 1/2-by-4 1/2-by-2 1/2-foot boulder crashed onto Ralston, pinning his right arm. He was left standing up, but was unable to move, a statement by the rescuers said.

He ran out of water on Tuesday, the statement said.

When Ralston was four days late for work, the Emery County Sheriff's Office was notified he was missing. Crews from the Utah Department of Public Safety, the Bureau of Land Management, the National Park Service, Emery, Wayne and Grand counties began searching for him about 10 a.m., Swanke said.

That same day, however, Ralston amputated his arm, applied a tourniquet and administered first aid, the statement said.

He then fixed a rope to rappel to the floor of Bluejohn Canyon. He continued hiking down the canyon and into Horseshoe Canyon, the statement said.

A Department of Public Safety helicopter found him about 3 p.m., the statement said.

He was transported to Allen Memorial Hospital in Moab, then airlifted to St. Mary's Hospital in Grand Junction, Colo.

St. Mary's Hospital public affairs said he was in serious condition Thursday night. He is expected to survive.

Emery County Sheriff LaMar Guymon said he doesn't remember such an extreme act of survival in his 34 years in law enforcement.

"I think once we had a finger, a similar kind of thing."

Later Thursday "we sent officers in to retrieve his arm and hand," Guymon said. "They were unable to because it's a 600- to 800-pound rock."

"I'm sure he was in pain."

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E-mail: lhancock@desnews.com