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glacier_kittyANCHORAGE, Alaska - A man who stepped off his snowmachine to take pictures on an Alaska glacier plunged 60 feet into a crevasse where he remained for hours before he was freed by a specially-trained rescue team.
David Joerge, 54, from Eagle River was snowmachining with a friend on Saturday when he found himself down a dark hole and in deep trouble.
"It happens pretty fast. Your knees are hitting things, your arms, your shoulders, your elbows. You are just being thrust down into a wedge of ice," he said, of his fall into the Nelchina Glacier crevasse.
Joerge's friend, Rod Hansen, also 54 and from Eagle River, went for help, driving 17 miles to Eureka Lodge.
Everything had seemed picture-perfect when the two men set out from Eureka Lodge that morning, the Anchorage Daily News reported.
"It was a bluebird day. The closer you got to the glacier, the more prettier it got," Hansen said.
They followed a rocky ridge and stopped for lunch. Joerg took off by himself for a short spell but Hansen waved him back because he thought it looked treacherous. They intended to head toward a frozen lake, but first checked out the nice powder at the base of the glacier. It was dotted with animal prints.
Some snowmachine tracks led onto the glacier. The men followed the tracks until they disappeared. Even though the surface looked solid, they didn't realize it yet, but they were in a dangerous area, a web of ice bridges, deteriorating snow bridges and crevasses.
Hansen wanted to get off the glacier. He told Joerg about a rider who died up there a number of years ago. Neither he nor his snowmachine was ever found. But the two kept going.
"Two guys. One pushes the other," Hansen said. "Even at 54, we are two 15-year-olds at heart."
Joerg got off his machine to take some photos in the sunlight as Hansen watched.
"He went through a hole," Hansen said. "Gone. I mean just like lightning. Gone."
With no phone or rescue gear, Hansen drove 17 miles to Eureka Lodge to get help.
The crevasse was just wide enough for a person to slip into, said Bill Romberg, a member of the Alaska Mountain Rescue Group, who led a roped team to rescue Joerg.
"It was a hidden crevasse that he happened to step on and happened to go through, on a small snow bridge," Romberg said. "One minute you're standing on solid ice. And the next minute you are dropping down a rabbit hole, basically the width of a person."
Joerge was wedged tightly in the crevasse. To his right was total darkness, a deep abyss. To his left was a snow ledge that he was able to get a foothold on and free himself slightly from the ice grip. He yelled for Hansen to get help and worried his friend maybe was swallowed up too. He tried to call on his cellphone but had no service.
Joerg took off his helmet and used the broken visor to dig a wider area, so he could work himself up and out. When the plastic shattered, he popped out the lenses of his reading glasses to dig with. He made little progress.
His clothes were soaked and he began to shiver. He couldn't see the top of the hole. He didn't know if anyone was coming.
Members of the Alaska Mountain Rescue Group mobilized quickly. Four of them flew onto the glacier. They roped together and used avalanche probes to test for a safe route as they walked to the spot where Joerg disappeared. The solid ground was just 4- to 5-feet wide, Romberg said.
The rescuers made their way to the hole and set an anchor. The rescuers threw down a harness and rope and hoisted Joerg out. He was mildly hypothermic, scraped and bruised. He spent more than seven hours stuck in the crevasse.
Day 35 - A picture of your hometown
"Hometown" always confuses me..so I'll just post a pic of Fairbanks haha
Day 01 - A picture of yourself with fifteen facts
Day 02 - A picture of you and the person you have been closest with the longest
Day 03 - A picture of the cast from your favorite show
Day 04 - A picture of yourself and a family member
Day 05 - A picture of your favorite memory
Day 06 - A picture of a person you'd love to trade places with for a day
Day 07 - A picture that makes you laugh
Day 08 - A picture of your most treasured item
Day 09 - A picture of the person who has gotten you through the most
Day 10 - A picture of someone you do the craziest things with
Day 11 - A picture of something you hate
Day 12 - A picture of something you love
Day 13 - A picture of your favorite band or artist
Day 14 - A picture of your favorite store
Day 15 - A picture of something you want to do before you die
Day 16 - A picture of someone who inspires you
Day 17 - A picture of something that has made a huge impact on your life recently
Day 18 - A picture of the sexiest woman alive
Day 19 - A picture of something you love to do.
Day 20 - A picture of somewhere you'd love to travel
Day 21 - A picture of something you wish you could forget
Day 22 - A picture of something you never leave the house without
Day 23 - A picture of your favorite book
Day 24 - A picture of someone you miss
Day 25 - A picture of you from last year
Day 26 - A picture of something that means a lot to you
Day 27 - A picture of your favorite night
Day 28 - A picture of your favorite place in the world
Day 29 - A picture that can always make you smile
Day 30 - A picture of your favorite quote
Day 31 - A picture of food you made
Day 32 - A picture of what you did today
Day 33 - A picture of somewhere you went today
Day 34 - A picture of your favorite morning
Day 35 - A picture of your hometown
Day 36 - A picture of your pet
Day 37 - A picture taken at school
Day 38 - A picture of your favorite drink
Day 39 - A picture of your favorite food
Day 40 - A picture of your friends
Day 41 - A picture of your favorite weather
Day 42 - A picture of you listening to music
Day 43 - A picture of you celebrating
Day 44 - A picture that describes your life
Day 45 - A picture of your favorite cartoon character
Day 46 - A picture that you edited
Day 47 - A picture of your favorite animal
Day 48 - A picture of you more than 10 years ago
Day 49 - A picture of you and your best friend(s)
Day 50 - A picture of yourself
Day 51 - A picture of you wearing sunglasses
Day 52 - A picture of you dressed up
Day 53 - A picture of you in a car
Day 54 - A picture of you on your last vacation
Day 55 - A picture of you with a date
Day 56 - A picture of you all bundled up
Day 57 - A picture of you in your backyard
Day 58 - A picture of your hair all done
Day 59 - A picture of you at prom
Day 60 - A picture of you at a sports game
Day 61 - A picture of you in the fall
Day 62 - A picture of you on a ride
Day 63 - A picture of luggage
Day 64 - A picture of you at work
Day 65 - A picture of you at a park
Day 66 - A picture of you in the air
Day 66 - A picture of you doing something childish
Day 67 - A picture of you falling
Day 68 - A picture of you outside
Day 69 - A picture of a crazy night out
Day 70 - A picture of someone you don't go a day without talking to
Day 71 - A picture of you with people you work with
Day 72 - A picture of you with unbelievable scenery
Day 73 - A picture of you somewhere warm
Day 74 - A picture taken professionally
Day 75 - A picture of you receiving a reward
Day 76 - A picture of you drinking something
Day 77 - A picture of you and friends making silly faces
Day 78 - A picture of you in the dark
Day 79 - A picture of you in the water
Day 80 - A picture of you and someone you love being silly
Day 81 - A picture of you with a character
Day 82 - A picture of someone you love asleep
Day 83 - A picture of you and a teammate
Day 84 - A picture of a school project
Day 85 - A picture of your favorite holiday
Day 86 - A picture of someone who helps you with school
Day 87 - A picture of someone you grew up with
Day 88 - A picture of your dream car
Day 89 - A picture of you at a hotel
Day 90 - A picture of you wearing your favorite color
Day 91 - A picture of you and your friends playing a game
Day 92 - A picture of your school
Day 93 - A picture of your favorite board game
Day 94 - A picture of you and your friends eating
Day 95 - A picture of you on a plane
Day 96 - A picture of your favorite movie
Day 97 - A picture of something you no longer have
Day 98 - A picture of you and your friends out somewhere
Day 99 - A picture that was first on your facebook.
Day 100 - A picture of you smiling
That's one lucky guy. I've seen Nelchina Glacier before and it is lovely (http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2660/3927636875_ccf3df19aa.jpg). Guess I shouldn't snowmachine on it though :P
Would you rather sleep each night with two harmless bats in your bedroom or always have five pigeons hanging out in your bathroom? The bats..if they're in cages
Today's trivia: The word "blog" is a shortened form of "web log"
David Joerge, 54, from Eagle River was snowmachining with a friend on Saturday when he found himself down a dark hole and in deep trouble.
"It happens pretty fast. Your knees are hitting things, your arms, your shoulders, your elbows. You are just being thrust down into a wedge of ice," he said, of his fall into the Nelchina Glacier crevasse.
Joerge's friend, Rod Hansen, also 54 and from Eagle River, went for help, driving 17 miles to Eureka Lodge.
Everything had seemed picture-perfect when the two men set out from Eureka Lodge that morning, the Anchorage Daily News reported.
"It was a bluebird day. The closer you got to the glacier, the more prettier it got," Hansen said.
They followed a rocky ridge and stopped for lunch. Joerg took off by himself for a short spell but Hansen waved him back because he thought it looked treacherous. They intended to head toward a frozen lake, but first checked out the nice powder at the base of the glacier. It was dotted with animal prints.
Some snowmachine tracks led onto the glacier. The men followed the tracks until they disappeared. Even though the surface looked solid, they didn't realize it yet, but they were in a dangerous area, a web of ice bridges, deteriorating snow bridges and crevasses.
Hansen wanted to get off the glacier. He told Joerg about a rider who died up there a number of years ago. Neither he nor his snowmachine was ever found. But the two kept going.
"Two guys. One pushes the other," Hansen said. "Even at 54, we are two 15-year-olds at heart."
Joerg got off his machine to take some photos in the sunlight as Hansen watched.
"He went through a hole," Hansen said. "Gone. I mean just like lightning. Gone."
With no phone or rescue gear, Hansen drove 17 miles to Eureka Lodge to get help.
The crevasse was just wide enough for a person to slip into, said Bill Romberg, a member of the Alaska Mountain Rescue Group, who led a roped team to rescue Joerg.
"It was a hidden crevasse that he happened to step on and happened to go through, on a small snow bridge," Romberg said. "One minute you're standing on solid ice. And the next minute you are dropping down a rabbit hole, basically the width of a person."
Joerge was wedged tightly in the crevasse. To his right was total darkness, a deep abyss. To his left was a snow ledge that he was able to get a foothold on and free himself slightly from the ice grip. He yelled for Hansen to get help and worried his friend maybe was swallowed up too. He tried to call on his cellphone but had no service.
Joerg took off his helmet and used the broken visor to dig a wider area, so he could work himself up and out. When the plastic shattered, he popped out the lenses of his reading glasses to dig with. He made little progress.
His clothes were soaked and he began to shiver. He couldn't see the top of the hole. He didn't know if anyone was coming.
Members of the Alaska Mountain Rescue Group mobilized quickly. Four of them flew onto the glacier. They roped together and used avalanche probes to test for a safe route as they walked to the spot where Joerg disappeared. The solid ground was just 4- to 5-feet wide, Romberg said.
The rescuers made their way to the hole and set an anchor. The rescuers threw down a harness and rope and hoisted Joerg out. He was mildly hypothermic, scraped and bruised. He spent more than seven hours stuck in the crevasse.
Day 35 - A picture of your hometown
"Hometown" always confuses me..so I'll just post a pic of Fairbanks haha
Day 02 - A picture of you and the person you have been closest with the longest
Day 03 - A picture of the cast from your favorite show
Day 04 - A picture of yourself and a family member
Day 05 - A picture of your favorite memory
Day 06 - A picture of a person you'd love to trade places with for a day
Day 07 - A picture that makes you laugh
Day 08 - A picture of your most treasured item
Day 09 - A picture of the person who has gotten you through the most
Day 10 - A picture of someone you do the craziest things with
Day 11 - A picture of something you hate
Day 12 - A picture of something you love
Day 13 - A picture of your favorite band or artist
Day 14 - A picture of your favorite store
Day 15 - A picture of something you want to do before you die
Day 16 - A picture of someone who inspires you
Day 17 - A picture of something that has made a huge impact on your life recently
Day 18 - A picture of the sexiest woman alive
Day 19 - A picture of something you love to do.
Day 20 - A picture of somewhere you'd love to travel
Day 21 - A picture of something you wish you could forget
Day 22 - A picture of something you never leave the house without
Day 23 - A picture of your favorite book
Day 24 - A picture of someone you miss
Day 25 - A picture of you from last year
Day 26 - A picture of something that means a lot to you
Day 27 - A picture of your favorite night
Day 28 - A picture of your favorite place in the world
Day 29 - A picture that can always make you smile
Day 30 - A picture of your favorite quote
Day 31 - A picture of food you made
Day 32 - A picture of what you did today
Day 33 - A picture of somewhere you went today
Day 34 - A picture of your favorite morning
Day 35 - A picture of your hometown
Day 36 - A picture of your pet
Day 37 - A picture taken at school
Day 38 - A picture of your favorite drink
Day 39 - A picture of your favorite food
Day 40 - A picture of your friends
Day 41 - A picture of your favorite weather
Day 42 - A picture of you listening to music
Day 43 - A picture of you celebrating
Day 44 - A picture that describes your life
Day 45 - A picture of your favorite cartoon character
Day 46 - A picture that you edited
Day 47 - A picture of your favorite animal
Day 48 - A picture of you more than 10 years ago
Day 49 - A picture of you and your best friend(s)
Day 50 - A picture of yourself
Day 51 - A picture of you wearing sunglasses
Day 52 - A picture of you dressed up
Day 53 - A picture of you in a car
Day 54 - A picture of you on your last vacation
Day 55 - A picture of you with a date
Day 56 - A picture of you all bundled up
Day 57 - A picture of you in your backyard
Day 58 - A picture of your hair all done
Day 59 - A picture of you at prom
Day 60 - A picture of you at a sports game
Day 61 - A picture of you in the fall
Day 62 - A picture of you on a ride
Day 63 - A picture of luggage
Day 64 - A picture of you at work
Day 65 - A picture of you at a park
Day 66 - A picture of you in the air
Day 66 - A picture of you doing something childish
Day 67 - A picture of you falling
Day 68 - A picture of you outside
Day 69 - A picture of a crazy night out
Day 70 - A picture of someone you don't go a day without talking to
Day 71 - A picture of you with people you work with
Day 72 - A picture of you with unbelievable scenery
Day 73 - A picture of you somewhere warm
Day 74 - A picture taken professionally
Day 75 - A picture of you receiving a reward
Day 76 - A picture of you drinking something
Day 77 - A picture of you and friends making silly faces
Day 78 - A picture of you in the dark
Day 79 - A picture of you in the water
Day 80 - A picture of you and someone you love being silly
Day 81 - A picture of you with a character
Day 82 - A picture of someone you love asleep
Day 83 - A picture of you and a teammate
Day 84 - A picture of a school project
Day 85 - A picture of your favorite holiday
Day 86 - A picture of someone who helps you with school
Day 87 - A picture of someone you grew up with
Day 88 - A picture of your dream car
Day 89 - A picture of you at a hotel
Day 90 - A picture of you wearing your favorite color
Day 91 - A picture of you and your friends playing a game
Day 92 - A picture of your school
Day 93 - A picture of your favorite board game
Day 94 - A picture of you and your friends eating
Day 95 - A picture of you on a plane
Day 96 - A picture of your favorite movie
Day 97 - A picture of something you no longer have
Day 98 - A picture of you and your friends out somewhere
Day 99 - A picture that was first on your facebook.
Day 100 - A picture of you smiling
That's one lucky guy. I've seen Nelchina Glacier before and it is lovely (http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2660/3927636875_ccf3df19aa.jpg). Guess I shouldn't snowmachine on it though :P
Would you rather sleep each night with two harmless bats in your bedroom or always have five pigeons hanging out in your bathroom? The bats..if they're in cages
Today's trivia: The word "blog" is a shortened form of "web log"
