Close Call...Again

Sunday was our last day of holiday, and I wanted to get in one more hike before classes began and basketball started, because the sun would set before I have a chance to hike on weekdays. I talked to a Native about knowing when it’s safe to walk on ice, and he said all you need is a pole. If you bang on the ice, and it doesn’t fall through, it’s safe to walk on. I thought it would be more complicated than this but I didn’t question him! So I went out to the Ninglick River, carefully hopped down on the ice, and watched the ice hunks float down the river. The river had three layers of ice, like giant steps, the lower one more fragile than the next one up. About 30 yards of the river was frozen, and I was walking carefully on the ice, testing it like the Native had told me. 

Let me reiterate my stupid naivety and risky adventurism. I wanted to get a better view and see how close I could get to the unfrozen part of the river. I wasn’t intentionally looking to do something stupid, that’s just how it ended up. 

So what happened was, the second layer of ice seemed pretty sturdy. Towards the end of this layer I got down on my stomach, inching forward ever so slightly, until I was finally at the edge, and could look down at the first layer. At this point I was only about 5 feet away from the running water, which I was pleased about. I could hear the slushy ice moving along. After a while my stomach got cold, so I carefully sat up, hanging my feet over the edge. It was about a 4 foot drop down to the first, unsafe level of ice. 

I was fighting the urge to reach down and see if the lower level was safe. I knew if I was down there, and the ice broke, there was no way I could climb back up; it was too far up and the ice too fragile. So I knew I wouldn’t actually be that stupid and test it out, but before I could give it any more thought, the ice I was sitting on broke off! I consequently fell to the lower level, and like I had thought, it was not at all safe. My foot broke through the ice and I felt the freezing cold water. I was seriously scared at this point. It was four whole feet down from the second level, but thank the Lord it was only 4 feet! When the ice broke off my reaction was to start grabbing anything I could get my hands on. With all the grabbing and loose ice, my glove came off my hand.

I was starting to panic, and I was actually thinking “it’s about time you paid the ultimate price for your crazy adventures... this is it now.” My heart was going wild - I thought I was a goner. It all happened in slow motion, I was frantically trying to grab hold of something but everything was too slippery, and I was almost out of reach of the second level. Just reliving it is heart rushing! Both of my feet were through the bottom layer of ice now, in the water, and I forced my body to turn around on the slippery slope where I could see what I was grabbing. Before my shoulders sunk down off the second level I grabbed a hunk of ice and thank the Lord it didn’t give way. If it had, I’m afraid I wouldn’t be writing this now! I held on with every ounce of desperation in me, fearing at any second it would break. Knowing I had to make something happen, I kicked my right leg up and was able to hoist myself up back to the second level. I can’t tell you how fast I crawled back to the third level and ran to solid ground! I jumped up on the tundra and just laid there in the snow, panting, and thankful beyond belief to be alive. 

After my racing heart calmed down, I made the hike back home. I stripped off my gear and noticed my hand was bloody. It had gotten cut in the process of trying to grab the ice, but I didn’t care at all. I was so happy to be alive.

Let me just thank everyone who has ever said a prayer for me, because you’re probably part of the reason why I’m still alive! My mind gets focused on the adventure, the rush, and the thrill of the risk, and I lose sight of sound judgement sometimes. So thank you, thank you, thank you, and a million thank you’s to God! 

I wanted so bad to talk to my brother, Alex, and I don’t exactly know why. But I can’t wait till I see him and get to hug him, surrounded by his safe arms. 

Sending lots of love to everyone reading this.

About 3 miles from the village.