How to Survive an Injury in the Mountains (If You’re Not a Yeti)
by Allie Comeau on October 23, 2008 
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This week on Adventure Edge Radio, Jimmy Buff talked about injured climber Derek Mamoyac’s five-day ordeal on Mount Adams in Washington State. Search officials were amazed to find him alive, considering the length of his ordeal, his broken ankle, and the frigid conditions.
So how exactly did he survive five days on the mountain with a broken ankle? Unlike the infamous Yeti, whose tracks were (allegedly) found by Japanese climbers this week on Annapurna, normal human beings have a much more difficult time surviving the cold and high elevations – especially when wounded. While it’s wonderful news that Mamoyac was found alive, the really interesting part of the story is how he managed to stay that way. If you ever find yourself in a similar position, heed his advice:
Stay Mentally Strong – Dying is Not an Option
“Me sitting there dying never, ever entered the back of my mind,” the still-recovering Mamoyac told Matt Lauer in this article on MSNBC, as he propped his head up with his elbow while lying on a bed at Legacy Emanuel Hospital and Health Center in Portland, Ore. “I never wanted to dwell on it because if I did, it would make it seem like a possibility, and I wanted my mind-set to offset that. That’s how it was easy to eat the insects.”
Trust Your Survival Instincts, Even if it Means Eating Insects
Mamoyac is referring to the insects he ate to stay alive on the trail. He says his survival instincts kicked in and made eating bugs tolerable because he knew it would help him stay alive. He ate ants, centipedes and even a wolf spider to keep his energy up.
“After the third day I was just low on energy, and I [thought]: ‘You know what? I’m in a survival situation and anything’s possible,’ ” he said. “I figured, you know, if people living off this land for millions and millions of years [had] to eat bugs, I figured I would do it, too.
Keep Moving Down the Mountain and Don’t Fall Asleep
From his extensive climbing experience, he knew he had to keep moving or he would freeze during the five 20-degree nights he endured. Mamoyac made his way downhill (from 11,000 feet to 6,000 feet), where he had a better chance of being found, by crawling on his knees and sliding on his backside. He didn’t sleep at night, knowing the dangers of falling asleep in those kinds of conditions, but took short naps during the sunny and slightly warmer daylight hours.
“He did it (slept) when he felt it was safe — knowing that if you fall asleep under certain conditions, it might be your last sleep,” Derek’s father, Steve Mamoyac, explained in a TODAY interview Tuesday.
Leave a Trail for Rescuers to Find
Mamoyac also left a trail behind him as he descended the mountain – of granola wrappers, a folding toothbrush, and his knife case, which ultimately led to his rescue. (Littering, of course, is only ever acceptable in emergencies like this one.)
Persevere
Even though Mamoyac is currently in intensive care recovering from frostbite and a broken ankle, he can’t wait to get back outdoors. He’s even considering a career in mountain rescue.
“All things considered, given my diet and what I’ve been through, I’m feeling pretty excellent,” he said. “I’m giving it as long as it takes to properly recover, so I can get back and get out in the great outdoors again.”
