Haines man recalls 21-hour wait for rescue from cliff

Keith Hutchins of Haines intended only to experience the novelty of standing atop an Alaska mountain one day and on a California beach the next. He never made it to California. Long after his scheduled departure for the trip south, Hutchins was stuck on a snowy ledge on Mount Ripinsky after becoming disoriented and falling during a storm, reports the Chilkat Valley News.

Hutchins was braced against a sheer face on Mount Ripinsky, playing mind games with himself to stay awake and alive.

Beneath him was an avalanche chute and a vertical drop he doubted he could survive. To either side of him were rock walls. Above him was the section of steep mountainside he'd fallen down.

"I was afraid to sleep. If I loosened up the tension, I was going down the cliff," Hutchins said.

"At 7 o'clock I said to myself, ‘I've made it from 2 to 7 and I haven't fallen off or frozen to death. I can make it another five hours...' Five hours later, he told himself, "I've made it 10 hours. I can make it another nine hours until it gets light."

Ultimately, Hutchins' brand-new iPhone's GPS capabilities led Coast Guard rescuers to him after he'd spent 21 hours on the ledge with a broken back. (On the other hand, Hutchins' earlier attempt to get a strong cell signal helped lead him into danger.) A grateful Hutchins admits he was overconfident in preparation for a hike he'd done "dozens" of times and should have turned back when heavy snow started falling. Doctors have told him he'll never snowboard again and may have to find a desk job (he's a carpenter).

Read more about his ordeal and dramatic rescue at the Chilkat Valley News. (KHNS also has an audio report.)
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