Alaska Man Survives Being Pinned by 700-Pound Boulder in Icy Creek Thanks to Wife’s Heroism and Helicopter Rescue

This June 4, 2023, photo shows Kell Morris, left, and his wife Jo Roop, in Sandpoint, Idaho

An Alaska man who was pinned face down in an icy glacial creek for three hours by a 700-pound (318-kilogram) boulder survived with only minor injuries, thanks to his wife's quick thinking and a series of fortunate events that enabled a swift and life-saving rescue.

Kell Morris, 61, was hiking with his wife, Jo Roop, near the remote Godwin Glacier south of Anchorage last Saturday when a massive boulder crashed down onto him during a fall. The couple had chosen the isolated trail—actually a rocky creek bed filled with glacial debris—to avoid holiday crowds in Seward, a town 120 miles (193 kilometers) south of Anchorage where they had recently relocated from Idaho.

While navigating the boulder-strewn creek, Morris slipped as the terrain gave way beneath him, tumbling roughly 20 feet (6 meters) before landing face down in icy water. A 700-pound boulder followed, trapping him in what the local fire chief described as “an avalanche of rocks.” Miraculously, smaller rocks positioned under and around him absorbed much of the weight, preventing a crushing injury, though Morris feared his femur would snap from the pressure.

Realizing the severity of the situation, Roop, a retired Alaska State Trooper now working with the local police department, spent 30 minutes trying to dislodge the boulder by placing smaller rocks beneath it. When that failed, she left to find cell service—managing to connect with emergency services just 300 yards (274 meters) away. Her law enforcement experience enabled her to transmit precise GPS coordinates to rescuers.

This May 24, 2025 photo shows Kell Morris, upper right in a brown hat, trapped under a 700 pound rock

Help came faster than expected thanks to a sled dog tourism company operating nearby. A volunteer firefighter working with the company overheard the 911 call and diverted their private helicopter—normally used to shuttle tourists—to transport rescuers to the remote site. All-terrain vehicles couldn’t access the area, so firefighters had to be airlifted in and dropped directly onto the rocky field.

By the time help arrived, Morris was hypothermic from prolonged exposure to glacial runoff. Roop had been holding his head above water the entire time to prevent drowning.

Rescuers used inflatable airbags typically reserved for vehicle extractions to slightly elevate the boulder, but ultimately it took the brute strength of seven men and a synchronized heave to move the rock just enough to free Morris. The Alaska National Guard then airlifted him out using a rescue basket.

This May 24, 2025, photo shows the creek near Seward, Alaska, where Kell Morris was trapped under a 700 pound rock.

Morris was hospitalized for two nights for observation but suffered no serious injuries. Seward Fire Chief Clinton Crites remarked that he had expected a body recovery, not a man walking away virtually unharmed. “I fully anticipated a body recovery, not him walking away without a scratch on him,” he said.

Morris, reflecting on his miraculous survival, credited divine intervention and his wife’s determination. “I was very lucky. God was looking out for me,” he said. "And luckier that I have such a great wife."

He also acknowledged the need for caution moving forward. “It might be a little wake-up call to stop doing things like this at my age,” he said, adding that their next hike will be on a marked trail. “We’re going to stop the trailblazing.”