Buzz
Despite our advances in technology and understanding of the natural world, there are forces beyond our control that can swiftly remind us of our vulnerability. Old Man Winter is infamous for his ruthless nature towards those who underestimate him. He has defeated armies, destroyed civilizations, and occasionally even altered the Earth itself.
Yet, every year, countless people challenge fate by heading into the harsh cold without the proper gear, skills, or knowledge to survive an emergency. While most adventurers will live their lives without facing avalanches or freezing in the wilderness, there are some who aren’t so fortunate – as you’ll discover here:
10. Dog Conquers the Alaskan Winter
On January 22, 2004, logger Greg Clark was out boating along the southeastern coast of Alaska with his loyal companion, Brick, a black Labrador. At 12:23 p.m., Clark issued a distress signal, reporting that his boat had struck rocks near Heceta Island. When rescuers arrived, neither Clark nor Brick could be found. For three days, searchers scoured the area, uncovering only an unused survival suit and fragments of boat wreckage.
A month later, Clark’s former friend, Kevin Dau, was out with his father near Heceta Island when he noticed what he initially thought was a wolf. On closer inspection, he realized it was Brick, who had miraculously survived the icy waters and made it ashore – enduring sub-zero temperatures, perilous terrain, and almost no food. Kevin reported that when he called Brick’s name, the dog immediately plunged into the freezing water and swam to the boat, generating a wake despite being injured, weak from hunger, and suffering from exposure.
9. Behind Enemy Lines
Jan Baalsrud was a Norwegian commando and a true hero, engaging in covert operations to support the resistance during the Nazi occupation of Norway in World War II. After being betrayed and ambushed by German soldiers, Baalsrud fought back fiercely and managed to escape – despite losing a toe in the skirmish.
With no supplies, dressed in light clothing and only one shoe, he journeyed across the rugged Norwegian mountains, surviving an avalanche and enduring severe frostbite before eventually finding refuge in a small village where the locals took care of him.
8. Surviving The Death Zone
Beck Weathers survived 18 grueling hours in sub-zero temperatures in the notorious 'death zone' of Mount Everest, before miraculously regaining consciousness and crawling back to his camp. Upon his return, it was discovered that he had corneal lacerations, hypothermia, and severe frostbite, leading to the eventual amputation of both hands. His incredible survival story is chronicled in Jon Krakauer’s bestselling book, *Into Thin Air*, which recounts the disastrous expedition that claimed the lives of eight climbers during the deadliest season in Everest’s history.
7. Swedish Man Hibernates For Two Months
A 45-year-old man from southern Sweden, whose identity remains unknown, was discovered huddled in a sleeping bag in the back seat of his car after being stranded for two months on a desolate forest road. Medical professionals were astounded to learn that he had survived for such an extended period without food. Many speculated that his body had adapted to the freezing temperatures, entering a state of dormancy similar to that of a bear. This remarkable survival mechanism allowed him to endure longer than any other known victim of a snowed-in vehicle.
6. The Donner-Reed Party
The Donner-Reed party was a group of American pioneers who, in 1846, embarked on a journey to California by wagon train, only to be delayed by a series of mishaps and navigational mistakes. These misfortunes forced them to spend the harsh winter snowbound in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. As many of the group fell victim to exposure, hunger, and disease, others were forced to resort to cannibalism in order to survive. Of the original 87 members, only 48 made it through the winter and reached California. Their tragic story has been passed down for generations, serving as a testament to human resilience and the will to survive.
5. Colorado Man Amputates His Own Leg
On October 6, 1993, William Jeracki was fishing alone in a remote creek near Denver, Colorado, when he noticed dark clouds rolling in. Realizing it was time to leave, he tried to prepare to head back, but a simple misstep caused a large boulder to land directly on his left leg, trapping him.
With his leg badly crushed and a snowstorm closing in, William made the desperate decision to amputate his own leg at the knee. Using fishing line as a tourniquet and a dull pocketknife to sever tendons, nerves, and his patellar ligament, he managed to free the femur from the knee socket. He then crawled to his truck, drove himself to a nearby clinic, and was airlifted to The University of Colorado Hospital. If you’ve seen the movie *127 Hours* (pictured above), you might think, “I’ve heard this story before, big deal.” But here’s something to consider: amputating a leg is far more brutal than an arm, and William didn’t have days to think it through—he did it in under four hours!
4. Anna Allen
Anna Allen and her boyfriend Frank Yeatman were about to enjoy the slopes of Alpine Meadows when a massive avalanche suddenly tore down the mountain, sweeping everything in its path. Hours later, Anna regained consciousness in total darkness, shivering from the cold and experiencing a blinding headache. As she drifted in and out of awareness over the course of the next day, it slowly dawned on her where she was and how she ended up trapped there. After nearly two days buried beneath layers of snow and ice without food or water, she began to hear rescue workers calling her name, though they were unable to hear her faint responses.
It took nearly another full 24 hours before rescuers managed to pull her from the snow and informed her that she had survived one of North America's deadliest ski-area disasters.
3. Out Of The Void: Coombs vs. The Avalanche
Colby Coombs, a 25-year-old instructor from the National Outdoor Leadership School, was vacationing in the Alaska Range with his friends Ritt Kellogg and Tom Walter. As the trio approached the summit of Mount Foraker’s Pink Panther Route, a massive avalanche suddenly swept down upon them, hurling them 800 feet down the mountainside.
Coombs regained consciousness six hours later, hanging from his rope and suffering two fractured vertebrae in his neck, a broken shoulder blade, and a fractured ankle. After getting his bearings, he swung over to check on his friend Walter, who had died with his face frozen in ice. The following day, as Coombs struggled to descend the mountain despite his injuries, he found Ritt, who had also perished in the avalanche.
For four long days, Coombs blocked out the pain and grief as he painstakingly made his way down the mountain, ultimately reaching safety.
2. Alpine Plane Crash
On October 13, 1972, Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571 crashed high in the Andes Mountains, resulting in the death of a quarter of its 45 passengers, including a rugby team, their families, and associates. Of the 29 survivors who endured the first few days at over 11,000 feet with minimal food and supplies, eight more perished in an avalanche that obliterated their makeshift shelter in the plane’s wreckage.
With no supplies left and no hope of rescue, the remaining survivors resorted to eating the frozen bodies of their loved ones. After holding on for over a month, two survivors embarked on a perilous 10-day journey across the frozen wilderness, eventually finding a Chilean man who provided them with food and contacted authorities. This led to the rescue of the last survivors at the crash site.
1. Wife and Husband Snowbound With Infant Son
In late December of 1992, Jim Stolpa, his wife Jennifer, and their 5-month-old son, Clayton, became snowbound in their pickup truck after taking a remote route through the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Stranded, freezing, and with limited supplies, they remained huddled in their truck for four days before deciding to venture into the deep snow, realizing that rescue was unlikely.
After walking for 16 miles, Jennifer’s strength gave out and she could go no further. Determined to not give up, Jim found a small cave nearby where Jennifer and Clayton took refuge while he continued his journey through the harsh, frozen wilderness in search of rescue. For two more days, Jim pressed on through the snow until he finally encountered help. He guided the rescue team back to the cave, where Jennifer and Clayton were found – cold, hungry, exhausted, but still alive.
