I Shouldn't Be Alive

Red wrote: Curious; did you have a crap ton of ice screws or were you back-cleaning them as you aided up? The show made it seem like you had an endless supply of screws.

I was wondering the same thing. it made it look like you had 40 ice screws.

I have another question for you jim, if you dont mind; the first time you fell, while trying to climb out, how far did you fall before the rope caught you. I imagine pretty damn far.

very intense stuff, best episode of i shouldnt be alive ive ever seen. i was very impressed, shocked, and moved by your story. thanks for sharing with us all.

TKrosbakken wrote: I was wondering the same thing. it made it look like you had 40 ice screws. I have another question for you jim, if you dont mind; the first time you fell, while trying to climb out, how far did you fall before the rope caught you. I imagine pretty damn far. very intense stuff, best episode of i shouldnt be alive ive ever seen. i was very impressed, shocked, and moved by your story. thanks for sharing with us all.

I think the show said he had 5 screws. He must have been back cleaning.

Thanks for the compliments guys. You questions are right on: We only had 6 screws with us. I left one as the bottom anchor for my rope, with Mike still anchored in just in case the ledge collapsed. I led out with 5; after free climbing then aiding when I ran out, I rapped down off one screw (yikes!) pulled the lower ones, leaving one behind occasionally as pro in case I took a fall. Then I went back up the icy rope on prusiks to regain my high point and started it all over. It was nerve wracking.. the more screws I pulled out, the less often I would have to rap back down, but the more I left behind, the better I was protected in case of a fall...

The show skipped all this leapfrogging of gear to simplify the story. I sure WISH I had 40 screws - would have been a LOT easier. The ISBA show did a great job, but they had to leave out all that, plus a whole lot more - we cover all that in the book that comes out this summer.

TK - my lead fall while free climbing was not real far - maybe 10 feet? But, pitching over backwards in the dark, while doing your first-ever roped solo, and knowing there was only one lead piece to catch my fall... If that one lead screw failed, then it would have been a 40 to 50 foot factor-two fall (25 feet of rope out), down past our ledge, all onto a one-screw anchor. I was DAMN glad that one screw held. Thanks for the curiosity & support gang.

thanks a lot jim. i will definately be getting my hands on that book when it comes out.

Thanks TK - the book comes out July 26.
Info: speakingofadventure.com/abo…

FYI - The TV show "I Shouldn't Be Alive" will re-broadcast the ice climbing survival episode from Mount Rainier, on Wednesday Feb 23 (5pm EST 4 pm CST 3 pm MST 2 pm PST), Sunday Feb 27 (3pm EST 2 pm CST 1 pm MST 12 pm PST) & Wednesday March 2 (2pm EST 1 pm CST 12 pm MST 11 am PST), always check local listings to confirm
speakingofadventure.com/abo…

I know I’m a little late to the game on this thread, but I wanted to say thanks to Jim for sharing your story with us. My wife and I watch “ISBA” quite frequently and within seconds of this episode starting I said to her that “this is the Jim Davidson story” as I had read an account posted online by a newspaper. Jim: Very sorry for the loss of your friend/partner Mike. I seem to remember reading about you telling his parents about the incident – that had to be extremely hard. They say time heals all wounds, but I don’t know that it fills the holes left behind by those we have lost.

I thought that the show did a great job a portraying the events even if some of the suspense that other episodes have was lost in my familiarity with the story. I did notice the glossing over of the details of aiding out of the crevasse – I guess technical how-to makes for boring TV even if the reality of how hard (mentally and physically) it is to do this perhaps a bit lost in translation.

Thanks Ryan - I appreciate it. Yup, losing a friend & partner is a permanent wound. Glad that you & your wife liked the show; yes, they simplified several technical things (rapping down further to grab an ice axe, leapfrogging the aid gear, etc.)

The "Killer Crevasse" episode airs again as follows:
Friday, Mar. 18 7:00 pm EST 6:00 pm CST 5:00 pm MST 4:00 pm PST
Monday, Mar. 21 9:00 pm EST 8:00 pm CST 7:00 pm MST 6:00 pm PST
Monday, Mar. 21 11:59 pm EST 11:00 pm CST 10:00 pm MST 9:00 pm PST
Tuesday, Mar. 22 4:00 am EST 3:00 pm CST 2:00 am MST 1:00 am PST

Always check locale listings to confirm, as things change.

Hi Jim, I just joined this forum just to say thanks for putting your story out there. I was actually googling on how to share a story on ISBA because my friends have been encouraging me to do so but then you came up and checked out your story and watched you in an interview. It made my heart tremble as my emotional memories flooded in. I lay here in bed still mending a broken femur that has been taking longer than normal to heal. Not more than five months ago I was in Paraguay, south America where I got bucked off a horse into a tree that snapped my femur in half, in the most remote area of Paraguay. Long story short it took three days to get to a hospital. I got carried, dragged on a makeshift log raft, rode a mule for six hours, took a small river boat, got trucked, on the third day flown in a single ingine cesna and ambulanced to a hospital. No kind of pain killer for thirty hours. I had three peace corps friends who were scared and that didn't know what to do And a paraguayan guide who was ready to bury me the following day. Fortunately the marine inside me and the will to live took over and instructed everyone on how to make a splint, how to move me and save my life. I still can't believe this has been my reality, one that I feel so alone in. It helped to see you speak, see someone understands the will to live. I know there's many out there but tonight yours made me want to share out in public for the first time. I haven't even done it on Facebook. I will get your book when it comes out. Who knows maybe you'll read mine if I ever can get myself to do it. Thank you

Miguel
WOW, what a survival story. I am so glad you made it; you obviously are one seriously tough guy - well done. I understand that strange blend of urge to share/reluctance to share. Eleven years passed after the Mt. Rainier incident before I could tell it publically. Though gripped to do so, I started sharing my survival story in the hopes that others might be able to find something of value for their lives. Regarding I Shouldn't Be Alive: I just posted a blog yesterday sharing a bit more about being on the show, including a link to a one-hour radio interview from just two days ago: speakingofadventure.com/blog/

Heal well.- Jim

Wow, hey thanks for such a quick reply. It's rather motivating. I've Recently watched a couple of your motivational talks on YouTube and I found it a little ironic that I'm using your experience to get myself motivated and not my own. I documented most of my way out, initially so I wouldn't go into shock but then just to be able to share. But when I look at it, it saddens me or just lulls my day. And I've gone about it all wrong by allowing myself to drown my sorrows in alcohol. I'm not a raging drunkerd but constant drinker none the less. Yesterday was my third day sober and I guess I was just reaching out. Your reply today is very helpful for its gonna keep me heading in the right direction. I know I have to let my experience propel me forward, not let it drag me down. This is no lie but today I'm going to the children's hospital near my home to see if I can volunteer in the physical therapy department. I've thought of it for so long, but today is the day to do it. You know, I use to be a leader in a program that took high school kids rock climbing out in Joshua tree for about 14 years. But I haven't done anythything like that since it got cancelled four years ago. Since then there's been a big void in my heart and I think it's time I start filling it back up. Hey thanks again. It was really great to personally hear from some one who is doing great things. You have a new fan in me. Good luck with the book. Cheers

Miguel35: When you get knocked down, it can take a little while to dust yourself off and then get back in the game. Sounds like you are moving in the right direction now - nice! Yes, climbing, and helping others climb, can add a lot to your life - it helped me for sure. Keep moving forward!