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The Boot in the Spruce: How She Outwalked Death Forty-Six Hours
The Boot in the Spruce: How She Outwalked Death Forty-Six Hours
She was chest-deep in 31°F water at 11:22 AM with air temps near -20°F, skis on, and two minutes from losing hand function - yet she stayed conscious and walked for forty-six hours. The lone clue that stopped rescuers cold was a size eight ski boot stuffed with frozen cattail fluff, wedged four feet up in a spruce; how and why did she put it there?
In this episode, we follow the timeline and decisions that kept Monica Ward alive in the Velder River backcountry and the single object that ultimately redirected the search. What…
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