127 HOURS: Chapter Two
CHAPTER TWO
“The Accident”
he girls disappear into the west canyon. I am alone again. I continue walking towards the Big Drop Rappel. It seems strangely quiet without Kristi and Megan. I turn on my CD player and listen to a soft, slow song by Phish, one of my favorite bands. The music is perfect for the way I feel: lucky, free and happy. The weather is perfect, too. It's warm and sunny with just a few white clouds in the sky.
Suddenly, my feet hit a pile of loose stones and I nearly fall to the ground. Careful, Aron. I listen to the voice in my head and look up the canyon. I can see that the trail ahead becomes more difficult. The Big Drop Rappel is now just under a kilometer away. Twenty minutes later, I arrive at the most difficult part of the trail. Here, the canyon walls are a lot narrower.
The trail rises and falls and is full of sharp rocks. I will have to be careful. I look up and see part of a tree stuck between the canyon walls. It was carried along the canyon after heavy rain. This is one of the dangers of hiking in canyon country. After a sudden storm, canyons can quickly fill with water. In seconds, the water can throw you against the canyon walls and kill you. That's why it's always very important to check the weather before canyoning.
Just below the tree is the first drop in the trail. It's only about three meters, so I won't need any equipment. There are plenty of holes in the rock for my hands and feet so I climb down easily. A meter from the bottom I let go and land on the ground. Soft sand covers the tops of my boots. From here, it would be difficult to climb back up. One thing is immediately clear: I can't go back.
The canyon walls become even narrower. Stuck between them, as far as I can see, are boulders of different sizes. It's an unusual sight. I stop and take a few pictures with my camera. The Big Drop Rappel is now only about 160 meters away. Climbing down will be no problem. I have all the equipment I need in my backpack. For food, I have two burritos. I also have a full water bottle and an extra two liters in a CamelBak.
The boulders are both good and bad news. The good news is that I should be able to climb over many of them. This will be quicker than dropping on to the trail and climbing back up again. The bad news is that the boulders could move. I will have to be careful.
I manage the first few boulders without any problems and reach another drop. This one is about four meters down. About three meters from the edge of the drop is a boulder. It's about the same size as the wheel of a bus. If I climb onto it, the drop from there will be shorter. I chimney to the boulder quite easily. As I stand on it, I feel something move.
The movement stops almost immediately. It seems there's nothing to worry about. I lie down, put my hands in two holes on the far edge of the boulder and push my legs over the opposite side to jump down. As most of my weight pushes on one side of the boulder, it makes a strange sound. Immediately I know this is trouble but it's too late to go back.
From this point, everything seems to happen very slowly. I let go of the boulder and drop towards the ground. As I fall, I look up and see the boulder crashing towards my head. If I don't get out of the way, I'm dead. I try to push against the boulder with both hands. It hits my left hand hard against the canyon wall. I pull it back with a scream of pain. The boulder then hits my right arm and traps my hand against the right side of the canyon.
6 hrs
2:45 pm
All this happens in a couple of seconds. I don't even notice landing on the canyon floor. I am so shocked I feel no pain. I just stand there, looking at my trapped hand in disbelief. Stupid, Aron, stupid! When you first stood on the rock, it moved. That was a clear message to stay away! But you were in such a hurry to finish the hike you didn't stop and check.
The voice in my head doesn't help. It just makes things worse. A terrible pain travels up my arm. I scream and pull hard to try and free myself. Nothing happens. I try again. This time I push against the boulder with my knees at the same time. It's no good. The boulder is a lot heavier than I am. I am stuck and there's no way out.
CHAPTER TWO
CAPÍTULO DOIS
The Accident
O acidente
The girls disappear into the west canyon.
As meninas desaparecem no desfiladeiro oeste.
I am alone again.
Estou sozinho novamente.
I continue walking towards the Big Drop Rappel.
Continuo caminhando em direção ao Rapel da Grande Queda.
It seems strangely quiet without Kristi and Megan.
Parece estranhamente quieto sem Kristi e Megan.
I turn on my CD player and listen to a soft, slow song by Phish, one of my favorite bands.
Ligo meu CD player e ouço uma música suave e lenta de Phish, uma das minhas bandas favoritas.
The music is perfect for the way I feel: lucky, free and happy.
A música é perfeita para o que sinto: sortudo, livre e feliz.
The weather is perfect, too.
O tempo também está perfeito.
It's warm and sunny with just a few white clouds in the sky.
Está quente e ensolarado, com apenas algumas nuvens brancas no céu.
Suddenly, my feet hit a pile of loose stones and I nearly fall to the ground.
De repente, meus pés batem em uma pilha de pedras soltas e quase caio no chão.
Careful, Aron. I listen to the voice in my head and look up the canyon.
Cuidado, Aron. Eu ouço a voz na minha cabeça e olho para o cânion.
I can see that the trail ahead becomes more difficult.
Vejo que a trilha à frente se torna mais difícil.
The Big Drop Rappel is now just under a kilometer away.
O Big Drop Rappel está agora a pouco menos de um quilômetro de distância.
Twenty minutes later, I arrive at the most difficult part of the trail.
Vinte minutos depois, chego ao trecho mais difícil da trilha.
Here, the canyon walls are a lot narrower.
Aqui, as paredes do cânion são muito mais estreitas.
The trail rises and falls and is full of sharp rocks.
A trilha sobe e desce e é cheia de pedras pontiagudas.
I will have to be careful.
Vou ter que ter cuidado.
I look up and see part of a tree stuck between the canyon walls.
Eu olho para cima e vejo parte de uma árvore presa entre as paredes do cânion.
It was carried along the canyon after heavy rain.
Foi carregada ao longo do cânion após fortes chuvas.
This is one of the dangers of hiking in canyon country.
Este é um dos perigos de caminhar na região dos cânions.
After a sudden storm, canyons can quickly fill with water.
Após uma tempestade repentina, os desfiladeiros podem se encher rapidamente de água.
In seconds, the water can throw you against the canyon walls and kill you.
Em segundos, a água pode jogá-lo contra as paredes do desfiladeiro e matá-lo.
That's why it's always very important to check the weather before canyoning.
Por isso é sempre muito importante verificar a meteorologia antes de praticar canyoning.
Just below the tree is the first drop in the trail.
Logo abaixo da árvore está a primeira queda da trilha.
It's only about three meters, so I won't need any equipment.
Tem apenas cerca de três metros, então não vou precisar de nenhum equipamento.
There are plenty of holes in the rock for my hands and feet so I climb down easily.
Há muitos buracos na rocha para minhas mãos e pés, então desço com facilidade.
A meter from the bottom I let go and land on the ground.
A um metro do fundo eu solto e caio no chão.
Soft sand covers the tops of my boots.
A areia fofa cobre o topo das minhas botas.
From here, it would be difficult to climb back up.
A partir daqui, seria difícil subir de volta.
One thing is immediately clear: I can't go back.
Uma coisa fica imediatamente clara: não posso voltar.
The canyon walls become even narrower.
As paredes do desfiladeiro tornam-se ainda mais estreitas.
Stuck between them, as far as I can see, are boulders of different sizes.
Presas entre elas, pelo que posso ver, há pedregulhos de tamanhos diferentes.
It's an unusual sight.
É uma visão incomum.
I stop and take a few pictures with my camera.
Paro e tiro algumas fotos com minha câmera.
The Big Drop Rappel is now only about 160 meters away.
O Big Drop Rappel está agora a apenas cerca de 160 metros de distância.
Climbing down will be no problem.
Descer não será problema.
I have all the equipment I need in my backpack.
Tenho todo o equipamento necessário na minha mochila.
For food, I have two burritos.
Para comer, tenho dois burritos.
I also have a full water bottle and an extra two liters in a CamelBak.
Também tenho uma garrafa de água cheia e dois litros extras em um CamelBak.
The boulders are both good and bad news.
Os pedregulhos são boas e más notícias.
The good news is that I should be able to climb over many of them.
A boa notícia é que devo conseguir escalar muitos deles.
This will be quicker than dropping on to the trail and climbing back up again.
Isso será mais rápido do que cair na trilha e subir novamente.
The bad news is that the boulders could move.
A má notícia é que as pedras podem se mover.
I will have to be careful.
Vou ter que ter cuidado.
I manage the first few boulders without any problems and reach another drop.
Eu administro os primeiros pedregulhos sem problemas e chego a outra queda.
This one is about four meters down.
Esta está a cerca de quatro metros de profundidade.
About three meters from the edge of the drop is a boulder.
A cerca de três metros da borda da queda há uma pedra.
It's about the same size as the wheel of a bus.
É mais ou menos do tamanho da roda de um ônibus.
If I climb onto it, the drop from there will be shorter.
Se eu subir nela, a queda a partir daí será mais curta.
I chimney to the boulder quite easily.
Eu escalo para a pedra com bastante facilidade.
As I stand on it, I feel something move.
Enquanto estou de pé, sinto algo se mover.
The movement stops almost immediately.
O movimento para quase imediatamente.
It seems there's nothing to worry about.
Parece que não há com o que se preocupar.
I lie down, put my hands in two holes on the far edge of the boulder and push my legs over the opposite side to jump down.
Eu me deito, coloco minhas mãos em dois buracos na ponta da pedra e empurro minhas pernas para o lado oposto para pular.
As most of my weight pushes on one side of the boulder, it makes a strange sound.
Como a maior parte do meu peso empurra um lado da pedra, ela faz um som estranho.
Immediately I know this is trouble but it's too late to go back.
Imediatamente eu sei que isso é um problema, mas é tarde demais para voltar.
From this point, everything seems to happen very slowly.
A partir deste ponto, tudo parece acontecer muito lentamente.
I let go of the boulder and drop towards the ground.
Solto a pedra e caio em direção ao chão.
As I fall, I look up and see the boulder crashing towards my head.
Enquanto caio, olho para cima e vejo a pedra batendo na minha cabeça.
If I don't get out of the way, I'm dead.
Se eu não sair do caminho, estou morto.
I try to push against the boulder with both hands.
Tento empurrar a pedra com as duas mãos.
It hits my left hand hard against the canyon wall.
Ela bate com força na minha mão esquerda contra a parede do desfiladeiro.
I pull it back with a scream of pain.
Eu a puxo para trás com um grito de dor.
The boulder then hits my right arm and traps my hand against the right side of the canyon.
A pedra então atinge meu braço direito e prende minha mão contra o lado direito do desfiladeiro.
6 hrs
2:45 pm
6 horas
14h45
All this happens in a couple of seconds.
Tudo isso acontece em alguns segundos.
I don't even notice landing on the canyon floor.
Eu nem percebo pousar no chão do cânion.
I am so shocked I feel no pain.
Estou tão chocado que não sinto dor.
I just stand there, looking at my trapped hand in disbelief.
Eu apenas fico lá, olhando para minha mão presa em descrença.
Stupid, Aron, stupid! When you first stood on the rock, it moved.
Estúpido, Aron, estúpido! Quando você pisou na rocha pela primeira vez, ela se moveu.
That was a clear message to stay away!
Essa foi uma mensagem clara para ficar longe!
But you were in such a hurry to finish the hike you didn't stop and check.
Mas você estava com tanta pressa para terminar a caminhada que não parou para verificar.
The voice in my head doesn't help.
A voz na minha cabeça não ajuda.
It just makes things worse.
Isso só piora as coisas.
A terrible pain travels up my arm.
Uma dor terrível sobe pelo meu braço.
I scream and pull hard to try and free myself.
Eu grito e puxo com força para tentar me libertar.
Nothing happens. I try again.
Nada acontece. Eu tento de novo.
This time I push against the boulder with my knees at the same time.
Desta vez, empurro a pedra com os joelhos ao mesmo tempo.
It's no good. The boulder is a lot heavier than I am.
Não funciona. A pedra é muito mais pesada do que eu.
I am stuck and there's no way out.
Estou preso e não há saída.
