Survival in the Norwegian Wilderness

Climate journalist Alec Rune endured a harrowing six days in the Norwegian wilderness, relying on his own ingenuity for survival. He resorted to drinking his urine, consuming grass and moss, and even, in moments of desperation, drinking his own blood from blisters.

The 38-year-old American suffered severe injuries after falling from a steep mountain in Forgefonna National Park on July 31, breaking his femur in two places, fracturing his pelvis in three spots, and damaging about half a dozen vertebrae.

The ordeal started when Rune decided to extend his family vacation in Bergen with a solo glacier hike. While nearing the trail’s summit around 10 PM, he noticed that the sole of his left boot was starting to come apart, but he pushed on under the bright Norwegian summer sky.

“I took a wrong step. I’m not exactly sure what happened, but I lost my footing and began to slide,” he recounted.

Unfortunately, he lost his cell phone, a water bottle, and most of his food during the terrifying descent. “I remember thinking, ‘This is really bad. This is the beginning of a disaster movie,'” Rune shared.

After regaining consciousness the following day, the experienced outdoorsman faced a brutal survival challenge. “First things first, I needed to navigate down the mountain,” he explained.

Once he assessed his injuries, the situation became grim. His left femur was completely broken, leaving his leg immobilized.

“I couldn’t move; my left foot was just dangling,” he said.

Meanwhile, his wife, Veronica Silkenko, had returned to England, unaware of his plight, as he hadn’t been able to contact her since August 4th.

Luhn shared his dwindling supplies, eating whatever vegetation he could find nearby. Two days in and lacking water, he began to despair. The few snacks he had, like granola bars, felt like “concrete” in his throat.

His desperation led him to drink his own blood from blisters, and, recalling that three days without water can be fatal, he reluctantly drank small amounts of his urine to stay alive.

On the third day, when it finally rained, he eagerly collected drops of water from his sleeping bag. “It was the best I’ve ever tasted,” he joked afterward.

However, the rain introduced new challenges. Soaked and struggling to stay warm, Rune fashioned a makeshift shelter using tent poles and rain jackets.

Meanwhile, Silchenko spent her nights worrying about her husband’s safety after reporting him missing on August 4th. “I knew he’d do everything to survive,” she recalled, confident in his strength.

Rescue efforts faced relentless rain and wind, complicating the search for Rune. On August 5th, concerns grew about his survival as the weather worsened.

Rescue teams finally located him on August 6th and rushed him to the hospital. There, doctors found severe frostbite along with multiple fractures. Despite the extensive injuries, they believe he will make a full recovery after a rigorous rehabilitation process.

Immediately upon reuniting with his wife, true to his journalistic nature, Rune requested pen and paper to document his survival story.

This traumatic experience led him to reflect deeply on what truly matters. “I spent a lot of time thinking about my wife and family. I almost lost my life trying to explore a glacier,” he expressed.

Silchenko is certain that once he heals, they will return to hiking together—but under one important condition. “He’s not going hiking alone again,” she said with a laugh.