Overview

• On May 24 near Godwin Glacier, 61-year-old Kell Morris was trapped face down in an icy creek for three hours under a 700-pound boulder during a hike on an undeveloped trail south of Anchorage.
• His wife, retired state trooper Jo Roop, held his head above water to prevent drowning and trekked 300 yards to secure cell service so she could transmit precise GPS coordinates to 911.
• A nearby sled dog tourism operator intercepted the dispatch and diverted its helicopter to ferry Seward and Bear Creek firefighters into the inaccessible boulder field, cutting response time by nearly 45 minutes.
• Seven rescuers used inflatable airbags and manual force to lift the rock as Morris drifted in and out of consciousness and an Alaska National Guard helicopter hoisted him to safety.
• After two nights under observation with only minor injuries, Morris was released and says he plans to stick to established trails on future hikes.