Latest news with #GodwinGlacier
BBC News
3 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Alaska hiker rescued from under 700lb boulder in frigid creek
A hiker in Alaska miraculously survived after he was trapped facedown in a frigid creek for three hours under a massive boulder. Kell Morris was hiking with his wife below a glacier outside the city of Anchorage when a rock slide sent him plunging into the creek. A 700lb (318kg) stone came to rest on top of his leg, pinning him in wife positioned his head out of the water and called for help from rescuers, giving them the exact coordinates of their location. After a few days in hospital, he walked away nearly completely unscathed. The accident occurred on Saturday near Godwin Glacier. Mr Morris says that the rock that pinned him in place landed in a "trough" of other rocks, protecting him from being crushed but preventing him from being able to move. A rescue crew arrived by helicopter and had to use tools to lift the were also working against the clock: the glacier-fed creek was rising as the heat of the day caused ice and snow melt to occur more quickly. "I thought, I'm not going to last long in this water," Mr Morris recalled in an interview on Wednesday with the Anchorage Daily News."The water had gotten up to my chin," Mr Morris said. "I was going in and out of consciousness. I'd been shivering, but I stopped shivering every once in a while."His wife Jo Roop, who works as a police officer for the city of Seward, made sure he was able to hold himself out of the water in a press up position so she could hike to find enough mobile phone service to call for help. She still retained her sense of humour during the ordeal, he told Alaska Public Media (APM), recalling: "She graciously tells me, 'don't go anywhere. I'll be right back.'"Ms Roop was able to provide exact GPS coordinates for their location, according to rescue officials. In a stroke of luck, a volunteer firefighter overheard the radio call for rescue while working for a sled dog tour company. He was able to divert a helicopter used for shuttling tourists to pick up rescuers and take them to the accident site. But the helicopter was not able to land, due to the rough terrain."The patient was in a boulder field and the helicopter could only hover while firefighters had to jump from the helicopter to the ground as the helicopter could not land safely," the Seward Fire Department said in a statement posted to used inflatable airbags to lift the rock, and a National Guard helicopter brought Mr Morris to hospital where he was treated for recovered, Mr Morris says he suffered little more than bruises, and is already back on his feet. "I'm walking and, you know, if there was a band nearby, I'd go dancing tonight," he told APM.
The Independent
3 days ago
- General
- The Independent
Man trapped for three-hours under boulder sustains only minor injuries
Kell Morris, 61, was hiking near Godwin Glacier in Alaska when a 700-pound boulder pinned him face down in an icy creek for three hours. His wife, Jo Roop, a retired Alaska State Trooper, held his head above water to prevent him from drowning and provided GPS coordinates to dispatch, which was crucial for his survival. A sled dog tourism company overheard the 911 dispatch and offered their helicopter to transport rescuers to the remote location, which was inaccessible to all-terrain vehicles. Seven men used inflatable air bags to lift the boulder, freeing Morris, who was drifting in and out of consciousness due to hypothermia from the cold water. Morris spent two nights in the hospital for observation and sustained only minor injuries, acknowledging his luck and expressing gratitude for his wife's quick thinking.
The Sun
3 days ago
- General
- The Sun
I was minutes from death pinned down by 700lb boulder after horror hike rockfall – but luck and a great wife saved me
A HIKER miraculously survived being pinned face down by a 700 pound boulder for three hours during a horror trek in Alaska. Kell Morris pulled through the terrifying ordeal thanks to his wife's quick thinking, escaping with just minor injuries. 4 4 4 He became trapped during a hike with his wife Jo Roop near Godwin Glacier, south of Anchorage. The couple wanted to avoid the big crowds, so they set out on an isolated trail behind a state prison. Morris noticed dangerous boulders along the route, some weighing up to 1,000 pounds, and tried to avoid them as best as he could. But then suddenly a 700-pound boulder slammed him 20 feet down into an icy cold creek, trapping him in the water. "I was coming back and everything, the whole side slid out from under me," the 61-year-old said. Luckily, the way the rocks around him landed supported the full weight of the boulder, preventing it from completely crushing him. But he still felt and intense pain in his left leg as he lay trapped in position. Morris told the Associated Press: "When it first happened, I was doubtful that there was going to be a good outcome." His wife, a police officer and former state trooper, quickly came to the rescue. She attempted for about 30 minutes to pry him out from underneath the massive rock, but then went to try and find phone signal. Shock vid shows hero cops pull driver from car just SECONDS before its obliterated by speeding train on level crossing Mercifully, she only had to go around 300 yards to connect to 911, and her law enforcement experience helped her direct rescuers to the exact co-ordinates. A volunteer at the Bear Creek Fire Department heard the call and managed to fly a helicopter to the scene. Firefighters would use the helicopter to access the scene as their all-terrain vehicles could not reach the spot. By the time they got there, Morris was hypothermic, but was aided by his wife holding his head above the water. "I think if we hadn't had that private helicopter assist us, it would have taken us at least another 45 minutes to get to him, and I'm not sure he had that much time," Seward Fire Chief Clinton Crites said. Emergency responders used airbags designed to help people get out of wrecked vehicles to slightly lift the boulder. "But then it just became an all-hands brute force of 'one, two, three, push," Crites added. "And seven guys were able to lift it enough to pull the victim out." An Alaska National Guard helicopter got them out of the creek with a rescue basket. Morris spent two nights in hospital for observation, but only endured minor injuries. He has since described himself as the luckiest man alive. "And luckier that I have such a great wife." "I was very lucky. God was looking out for me," he added.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Alaska man pinned by 700-pound boulder for 3 hours walks away unharmed
The Brief Kell Morris was pinned by a 700-pound boulder during a glacier hike near Seward, Alaska. His wife held his head above the icy water for three hours while rescuers raced to the scene. A helicopter, inflatable air bags, and seven firefighters helped save his life. A hike near a remote glacier in Alaska nearly turned deadly for a couple trying to avoid the holiday crowds. Instead of a quiet outing, they found themselves in a life-or-death rescue when a 700-pound boulder pinned 61-year-old Kell Morris facedown in a frigid creek. His wife, Jo Roop, a retired Alaska State Trooper, kept his head above water while waiting for help. It took a private helicopter, rescue air bags, and seven firefighters to finally free him after three grueling hours. The backstory The couple had moved to Seward from Idaho last fall. Wanting to avoid Memorial Day weekend crowds, they chose a less-traveled path near Godwin Glacier, behind a state prison. Instead of a marked trail, they followed a rocky creek bed filled with massive glacial boulders. As Morris tried to make his way back, the entire bank gave way, sending him tumbling about 20 feet. "The whole side slid out from under me," he recalled. He landed in the creek, and a boulder came crashing down on top of him. Fire Chief Clinton Crites described it as "basically an avalanche of boulders." Miraculously, the way Morris fell allowed smaller rocks to support the boulder's weight, sparing him from being crushed. Still, he was pinned, injured, and in excruciating pain as he drifted in and out of consciousness. What they're saying Morris' wife tried for 30 minutes to move the rock before leaving to find a cell signal. Thanks to her law enforcement background, she quickly provided precise GPS coordinates to 911. Rescuers received an unexpected boost when a nearby sled dog tourism company diverted one of its helicopters to help. Firefighters were flown in after their all-terrain vehicles couldn't reach the site. "I think if we hadn't had that private helicopter assist us, it would have taken us at least another 45 minutes to get to him, and I'm not sure he had that much time," Crites told the Associated Press. The team used air bags usually meant for car extractions to shift the boulder, then lifted it manually with a coordinated push. Morris was airlifted out by the Alaska National Guard and spent two nights in the hospital—remarkably, with only minor injuries. "I fully anticipated a body recovery, not him walking away without a scratch on him," Crites said. What's next Morris says he's done with trailblazing. He and his wife plan to continue hiking—but only on established trails from now on. "I was very lucky. God was looking out for me," he said. The couple expects to head back outdoors this weekend, but with a renewed respect for the risks of Alaska's wilderness. The Source This article is based on reporting from the Associated Press, which interviewed Kell Morris and Seward Fire Chief Clinton Crites following the May 25 rescue near Godwin Glacier in Alaska. Additional details were shared by the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office and through public statements from rescue personnel involved in the incident.
