The tiger

The ground shook, the birds took flight, and I felt myself falling!

All I can think of is axe! I reach into the side of my mountain gear, and grab the axe. Instinctively I reach out and the weight of all of my body shook in pain holding the axe, then my dangling legs trying to find something for my spikes to jab into.

My one arm, holding, straining to hold on. My shoulder on fire, and my grip slipping. Finally my one foot dug into the side of the cliff. My body twitching, trying to recover from the fall.

I know that I have approximately 5 minutes to drive an anchor into the wall of slippery debris in front of me, and tie myself in, knowing that the aftershock is emanate. I look around and see that I’m alone. I hope the group I was with didn’t fall in a crevice like the one I’m in. Looking up I could only see a little daylight, and realize that the ground cracked an opening just enough for me to fall.

I start to make my way down hoping that I could find a whole big enough to move my body to retrieve the bag phone in my pack. I can’t go up because the ground is unsafe and could fall at the next tremor!

My team and I were out on this sunny day, scaling the cliffs trying to locate an old mine shaft in the area. If I could find it, I could possibly find my way out!

The ground shook again, and my spike shoes become loose and now hanging in the air, with my only lifeline being the spike I just hammered. The rocks were falling on top of me, I realize that the top of this cliff is starting to brake away inwards and it’s going to engulf me like some tidal wave.

I start repelling as fast as I could, to beat the falling rocks. If there is another after shock I’m done for it!

My feet hit ground and quickly unbuckle from the rope to look for cover! Just as I saw a ledge to hide under The rocks came down fast like an avalanche in the winter. The sound was thunderous as the ground kept falling.

Once the dust settled I try to move, and realize that the space I’m in is just a little bit bigger than the size of a couch. Enough room to open my pack to put on my head lamp, and find the bag phone!

“MaydayMayday! Leader Zack down, west side of Mount Heal.”

White static is all I heard, nothing else. I needed to find a way to find some crack, and hope I can dig to get to higher ground.

I turned of my headlamp, to search for any daylight.

Nothing.. “Ok” I say out loud. “Don’t panic, this is what you train for.” I turn on my headlamp and look in my pack. I have water, a few granola bars, and a bag of trail mix. If I ration, I have enough to last for 3 days, by then help should come. I open my first aid kit and wrap my shoulder in a sling, I’m pretty sure I did some damage holding on to the axe.

I grab the walk-e talkie “Mayday, Mayday this is leader Zak down, west side of Mount Heal. Sierra, Oscar, Sierra!

I sat down, took a sip of water, and opened some trail mix. Took a sweater out of my pack and put it over me like a blanket. I waited, and listened if I could hear a helicopter, or anything!

I drifted off for a while, and when I awoke I felt like the rocks were caving inwards towards me, and felt panicked! Frantically looking around I grabbed a bunch of bigger rocks and piled them to make it look like a jack to keep the ledge from collapsing, and the rocks from tumbling in towards me.

I was all sweaty now from the hard work and took a sip of water. I hear static from the bag phone!

“Mayday, Maday!! Help! Leader Zack down west side of Mount Heal.” Then, it was gone.

The silence was defining. Now my body quickly started to shiver, the sweat is now clinging to my shirt and making me feel cold. After taking off the sling, I took my t-shirt off and put on my sweat shirt, and hung my t-shirt in the tower of rocks. I felt week and fell back to sleep.

I awoke several times throughout the night, (assuming it’s night) to make sure my tower was still intact. The next day I had some more water, tried the phone and ate some. Put a mark in the rock for one day. The hours blended into days, and looking in the rock there were 3 ticks now representing three days. My food was out and the water has been gone for a day now.

I could barely lift my head I was so weak, and my muscles were screaming at me from sitting so long, and my shoulder pain now moved up and the headache was almost unbearable.

I close my eyes, feeling so tired, then I heard some dripping. My eyes open and look in the direction of the droplets. The headlight was barely casting any light but I saw a ship in the distance, and reach for it, waving my hands.

“Over hear! Help!

The light went out, and the vision of the ship was gone! But could hear the drops still. I crawl on the rocks and felt dampness on my fingers, I look up and the dripping was tapping my head. I look up and open my mouth.

I could feel my muscles come to life, my breathing not so shallow, and felt better. I still had no energy but could manage to find my way back to my resting spot and get my canister to retrieve the droplets of water.

Back in my spot, I look around and see a tiger looking at me. I feel panic, and nudge myself into the corner of the space, and screamed. I think I fainted from pain and fear, but woke up and realized I kept seeing mirages.

I grab the radio and try it again. My eyes feel heavy, looking at the rock now with 7 notches, seven days. I sip the last of the water in my canister, the drips stopped.

I open my eyes to see lights, talking, and radios, knowing It was yet another mirage, I close my eyes now feeling so tired.

I woke up in a hospital, at least I think it was- the lights so bright. My mind telling me it’s THE light! Then hearing my wife call to me I opened my eyes again and realized that I was found. All I could do was cry.

A month later, finally released from the hospital I was told the only way they found me was from my screams. I decided at that moment that I was going to write a book and give the mountain climbing a break-for now!