Aron Ralston is a United States mountaineer and former mechanical engineer who gained global attention after surviving a 2003 canyoneering accident. Trapped by an 800-pound boulder in Bluejohn Canyon, he remained pinned for five days before performing a self-amputation of his right forearm to escape, eventually hiking seven miles to safety before his rescue.
Background and Professional Life
Born in Marion, Ohio, in 1975, Ralston spent his youth in Denver, Colorado, after his family moved when he was twelve. He attended Cherry Creek High School before enrolling at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh. In 1997, he graduated with a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering and French. For five years, he worked for Intel in locations including Chandler, Tacoma, and Albuquerque. In 2002, he left his engineering career to focus on mountaineering, moving to Aspen, Colorado.
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Take the IQ test →The 2003 Canyoneering Incident
On April 26, 2003, Ralston went canyoneering alone in Utah’s Bluejohn Canyon. A dislodged boulder crushed his right hand against a wall, leaving him immobilized without communication or a clear exit. Over five days, he rationed two burritos and 350 milliliters of water. By the sixth day, suffering from severe dehydration and recognizing his arm was decomposing, he utilized his radius and ulna as a pivot point to break the bones. Using a dull pocket knife and pliers from a multi-tool, he severed his limb. After navigating a 65-foot rappel and hiking toward his vehicle, he encountered a Dutch family who alerted authorities, leading to his helicopter evacuation.
Recovery and Continued Exploration
Following the amputation, Ralston returned to the site of the accident on his 28th birthday to scatter the cremated ashes of his arm. He remained active in mountaineering, achieving his goal of becoming the first person to solo all of Colorado’s fourteeners during the winter season. He documented his ordeal in the 2004 autobiography Between a Rock and a Hard Place, which reached number three on The New York Times Hardcover Non-Fiction list.
Fast facts
- Born: 1975, Marion, Ohio
- Citizenship: United States
- Education: Carnegie Mellon University
- Primary Occupation: Mountaineer
- Accident Date: April 26, 2003
- Autobiography: Between a Rock and a Hard Place
- Mountain Achievement: Soloed all Colorado fourteeners in winter
Questions readers ask
What tools did Aron Ralston use to escape the canyon?
He used a multi-tool with a 2-inch dull knife and pliers to complete the amputation after breaking his arm bones.
How was the accident depicted in media?
His story was documented in his autobiography and adapted into the film 127 Hours, featuring actor James Franco.
Achievements
- Educated at Carnegie Mellon University and Cherry Creek High School
- Worked as engineer, motivational speaker and mountaineer
