Alaska Man Survives Three Hours Trapped Under 700-Pound Boulder

Kell Morris, a 61-year-old man hiking near Godwin Glacier south of Anchorage, Alaska, was trapped face-down in an icy creek for three hours after a 700-pound boulder pinned him down. His wife, Jo Roop, a retired Alaska state trooper now working with the Seward Police Department, held his head above water to prevent drowning while waiting for rescuers. The remote location was inaccessible to all-terrain vehicles, but a sled dog tourism company overheard the 911 call and provided a helicopter to transport rescuers. It took seven men using inflatable airbags to lift the boulder and free Morris, who drifted in and out of consciousness during the ordeal. Morris credits his survival to his wife's quick thinking, the rescuers' efforts, and a bit of luck, as well as the positioning of other boulders that absorbed some impact. The couple had recently moved to Seward from Idaho and were hiking in an isolated area to avoid holiday crowds when the accident occurred.