Even Santa Needs Rescue

OK, so that’s not really Saint Nick: It’s hiker Derrick Balsam of Rochester, NY, who went off-trail in Rochester’s Ellison Park and got trapped in a ravine when he sank into quicksand up to his hips. He spent over 24 hours stuck in the muck until other hikers heard his cries for help.

Luckily, the man had attended survival school in his youth. Unluckily, a lot of those lessons didn’t seem to stick:

“I went through survival school as an adolescent. I figured that 24 hours was quite doable. Of course, I was only thinking two or three hours, had no drinking water with me. Twenty-four hours is about the limit. i pushed the limit,” he said.

We’re glad your safe, Mr. Balsam. Christmas just wouldn’t be the same without you.

—Ted Alvarez

Trapped hiker says he made mistakes (WHAM)

via The Goat

Image Credit: 13WHAM.com