Iceaxe
02-27-2008, 04:29 PM
I enjoying reading tales of survival. :popcorn:
Lost snowboarder reveals how he survived on wits
Westminster man, 24, finds himself alone on icy mountain, discovers inner strength.
Author: David Whiting
All alone in dark, in the wind and the snow and the trees, Oscar Gonzales Jr. started to wonder if the numbness in his feet meant he was losing his battle for survival.
It had been hours since a bad turn followed by an even worse fall sent the Westminster snowboarder tumbling into the nether world that is the back country around Mountain High resort near Wrightwood.
The cold had started in his toes and was creeping up his legs. His gloves were so wet they were useless. His boots were soaked. The flannel pajama bottoms under his snow pants weren't much better. The T-shirt, long-sleeved shirt and sweatshirt beneath his jacket were damp.
Unaware that three people, including two ski patrol members, had been killed in an avalanche only a few miles away and several hours earlier, it didn't seem like there was much to be thankful for on this Friday night, Jan. 18.
But Gonzales silently thanked his friend anyway for the balaclava that covered his neck and head, leaving holes for his mouth, nostrils and eyes. Except for what seemed like a tiny spot deep in his chest, Gonzales' head was the only warm area on his body.
Twenty-four years old, 5-foot-six inches tall and 150 pounds, Gonzales knew he was slowly freezing to death.
Then Gonzales did two things so seemingly simple it's difficult to fathom they were acts that possibly saved his life, and certainly helped assure he didn't lose his fingers and toes to frostbite.
He thought about what he needed to do. And then he took action, in this case simply walking around.
From 20th Century Antarctic explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton to Aron Ralston, who cut his hand off to extricate himself from Utah's Bluejohn Canyon in 2003, experts agree the most important traits for a survivor is the ability to stay calm, assess the situation and take action.
Sound easy?
Not when you're walking the razor's edge between life and death, when you're alone and there isn't much more than a little insulation and thin nylon to protect you from the limitless power of nature, when certain decisions can kill, when doubts about your wisdom and actions are enough to puncture holes in your very sanity.
Curious about how someone could emerge virtually unscathed out of the same icy mountains which have swallowed up veteran hikers and climbers, I contacted Gonzales a few days after he was spotted by a search and rescue helicopter on Saturday.
Lost snowboarder reveals how he survived on wits
Westminster man, 24, finds himself alone on icy mountain, discovers inner strength.
Author: David Whiting
All alone in dark, in the wind and the snow and the trees, Oscar Gonzales Jr. started to wonder if the numbness in his feet meant he was losing his battle for survival.
It had been hours since a bad turn followed by an even worse fall sent the Westminster snowboarder tumbling into the nether world that is the back country around Mountain High resort near Wrightwood.
The cold had started in his toes and was creeping up his legs. His gloves were so wet they were useless. His boots were soaked. The flannel pajama bottoms under his snow pants weren't much better. The T-shirt, long-sleeved shirt and sweatshirt beneath his jacket were damp.
Unaware that three people, including two ski patrol members, had been killed in an avalanche only a few miles away and several hours earlier, it didn't seem like there was much to be thankful for on this Friday night, Jan. 18.
But Gonzales silently thanked his friend anyway for the balaclava that covered his neck and head, leaving holes for his mouth, nostrils and eyes. Except for what seemed like a tiny spot deep in his chest, Gonzales' head was the only warm area on his body.
Twenty-four years old, 5-foot-six inches tall and 150 pounds, Gonzales knew he was slowly freezing to death.
Then Gonzales did two things so seemingly simple it's difficult to fathom they were acts that possibly saved his life, and certainly helped assure he didn't lose his fingers and toes to frostbite.
He thought about what he needed to do. And then he took action, in this case simply walking around.
From 20th Century Antarctic explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton to Aron Ralston, who cut his hand off to extricate himself from Utah's Bluejohn Canyon in 2003, experts agree the most important traits for a survivor is the ability to stay calm, assess the situation and take action.
Sound easy?
Not when you're walking the razor's edge between life and death, when you're alone and there isn't much more than a little insulation and thin nylon to protect you from the limitless power of nature, when certain decisions can kill, when doubts about your wisdom and actions are enough to puncture holes in your very sanity.
Curious about how someone could emerge virtually unscathed out of the same icy mountains which have swallowed up veteran hikers and climbers, I contacted Gonzales a few days after he was spotted by a search and rescue helicopter on Saturday.