Real Survival Stories: "No Man's Canyon – Brothers in Trouble"

Podcast: Real Survival Stories
Host: John Hopkins
Episode Air Date: September 3, 2025
Summary By: Noiser

Overview

This episode of Real Survival Stories tells the gripping and emotional true story of David Cicotello, a 57-year-old college professor stranded in the inhospitable Robbers Roost canyonlands of southeastern Utah. The episode recounts David’s harrowing six-day fight for survival after a rappelling mishap leaves him isolated on a rocky ledge—without a rope, adequate supplies, or any way out—and highlights the profound brotherly bond and loss that framed his ordeal.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Setting the Scene: Robbers Roost and The Bond of Brothers

• Location Context:
  The wilderness of Robbers Roost, famed for its remoteness and once a haven for outlaws like Butch Cassidy, frames the isolation and danger David faces.
  (00:15)

• Brotherly Connection:
  The climbing trip is as much about strengthening the sibling relationship as it is about adventure.

  • David views Lewis, 13 years his senior and an art professor, as a lifelong mentor.

    “He was my guide to everything.” (07:34, David Cicotello)

  • Shared activities, from food to music, have long been central to their bond.

• Preparation & Precautions:
  The brothers take all reasonable steps for safety—leaving detailed maps with loved ones, climbing as a team, and informing others of their plans.

  “So that’s number one. Leave a map… people knew where we were going.” (12:45, David)

The Accident: What Went Wrong

• Descent into No Man’s Canyon:
  The pair embark on a multi-stage rappel using a single 200ft rope, centering it with a marked piece of tape for safety.
  (16:32 – 18:01)

• Critical Failure:

  • Lewis begins his rappel but suddenly realizes, "Oops, the rope is short." (19:25, Lewis)
  • Reassures David with, “No biggie.” (20:15, Lewis)
  • Moments later, the rope slips through the rappel ring—both Lewis and the rope disappear from view.

    “He had come down on the rope and the rope went with him, and I shouted out his name and there was no reply.” (21:46, David)

• Immediate Impact:

  • No sound or cry reveals Lewis’s fate; the acoustically resonant canyon carries no hint of what happened.
    (22:55)
  • David quickly realizes he has no way down, up, or out, isolated on a small ledge with minimal gear.

    “There was just no way out.” (24:36, David)

Survival Mode: Enduring on the Ledge

• First Night Alone:
  David begins rationing scant supplies: a sandwich, orange, power bar, trail mix, 16oz water, and a liter of lemon iced tea. His backpack and spare clothes become insulation against the cold desert night.
  (28:38 – 29:39)

• Mental Strategy:

  • Adopts the mantra, “Get to Friday. Get to Friday. Get to Friday,” timing his expected rescue based on when loved ones would miss their check-in call.

    “For me, the focus was in the form of a mantra. Get to Friday…” (30:49, David)

• Coping with Elements:

  • Temperatures swing from 60s by day to below freezing at night.

    “So I tried to get as creative as possible with keeping myself warm at night.” (31:45)

  • Improvises insulation (Styrofoam packing, extra socks for earmuffs).

• Emotional Strain & Resilience:

  • Draws upon grief from losing his son to cancer and faith-based metaphors for moving forward:

    "Though we walk through the valley…" (32:53, David)

Dangers: Weather and the Psychological Toll

• Flash Flood & Rockfall Fears:

  • A thunderstorm triggers rockfalls and vivid terror.

    “I was terrified beyond all terror.” (04:24, David) “I hear some rocks coming down… I don't know if it’s just fragments that are coming down or if there’s going to be a big rock slide.” (35:45, David)

• Improvise, Survive:

  • To attract rescuers, David constructs a multicolored “HELP” sign using climbing tape, webbing, and backpack materials.
    (37:38)
  • Finds moments of calm and beauty amid survival:

    “Watch the ravens and watch the skyline… track Orion across that slot… that’s how I kept time.” (38:41, David)

• Combatting Despair:

  • Singing spontaneously for comfort.

    “I began to sing O Beautiful 4 Space. It just came to me.” (39:38, David)

  • Wrestling with grief for Lewis and staving off panic.

    “That’s no way to get to Friday if you’re in that state…” (40:19, David)

Nearing the End: Depletion and Hope

• Supplies Dwindle:

  • By Thursday, only a tainted bottle of iced tea and the last drops of water remain.

    “That lemon turned brown and black by midweek and I was so damn angry that it happened.” (41:25, David)

  • Resolves to save the last water until rescue.

• Clinging to the Rescue Plan:

  • Trusts loved ones will call in missing persons when he fails to check in as planned.
  • Friday comes and goes—no rescue, hope wanes.

    “I was very disappointed. I mean, I was dejected.” (43:12, David)

Rescue and Aftermath

• Rescue Arrival:

  • Hears and spots a helicopter late Friday night; not immediately rescued, but regains hope.

    “I stood up on that interior ledge… I said, I’m here, and shouted. They couldn’t hear me, but that was the impulse.” (45:57, David)

  • Saturday morning: the helicopter returns; David signals with his HELP sign. He is rescued via harness and winch.

    “They picked me up over the mantle. They just hauled me over the edge there and I was out of where I was for six days.” (47:33, David)

• Confirmation of Loss:

  • At the trailhead, the sheriff confirms Lewis’s death.

    “The sheriff informed me officially about my brother’s passing.” (48:38, David)

• Piecing Together The Accident:

  • Likely cause: The center tape marking shifted; rope was not equally distributed.
  • Lewis, stranded above ground, likely “took a leap of faith” when reaching the rope's end, sustaining non-fatal but immobilizing injuries; as a type 2 diabetic, unable to medicate, he slipped into a coma and died.

    “We expect he did was to get down as close as he could and jump the rest of the way.” (50:11, David) “He was immobilized… being a type 2 diabetic… he went into a diabetic coma…” (51:03, David)

• The Long Road to Healing:

  • David battles recurring grief, guilt, and flashbacks for months. Therapy, faith, family, and speaking about the accident help him reclaim purpose and memorialize Lewis.

    “At one point, I was angry at Lewis… I had to deal with what I would call intrusive thoughts. When I would lay down at night and sleep my mind, I was back in that canyon…” (51:34, David) “Each time I make a presentation … we’re back to the beginning. We’re back to Lewis. And that’s what’s meaningful at the end of the day.” (52:41, David)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Mentorship and Brotherhood:

  “He was my guide to everything. I had my first Asian food, I went to a Grateful Dead concert. He was my guide to everything.”
  — David (07:34)

• On Survival Mindset:

  “For me, the focus was in the form of a mantra. Get to Friday. Get to Friday. Get to Friday…”
  — David (30:49)

• On Facing Mortality:

  “I’m not going to drink the rest of that water until I’m rescued…”
  — David (42:23)

• On Unthinkable Terror:

  “I was terrified beyond all terror.”
  — David (04:24)

• On Struggling with Grief:

  “At one point, I was angry at Lewis because why in the hell did you do what you did and put me in this position?... When I would lay down at night and sleep my mind, I was back in that canyon.”
  — David (51:34)

• Finding Meaning After Trauma:

  “Each time I make a presentation… we’re back to the beginning. We’re back to Lewis. And that’s what’s meaningful at the end of the day.”
  — David (52:41)

Timestamps for Major Segments

• 00:15–04:46 – Introduction & Setting the Scene in Robbers Roost
• 07:34 – David’s reflections on his brother’s influence
• 10:04 – Why adventure with Lewis matters more than the climb
• 12:45–14:01 – Preparation, planning, and slot canyon dangers
• 17:00–21:46 – The rappel, the accident, and David’s sudden isolation
• 28:38–31:45 – Rationing supplies and creative survival tactics
• 34:31–35:45 – The rainstorm, rockfall, and night of terror
• 37:38–38:41 – Building an improvised lifeline (HELP sign); watching the world go by
• 40:19–41:50 – Emotional challenges and near breaking point
• 43:12–45:57 – Rescue approaches, fleeting hope restored
• 46:36–47:33 – Extraction and immediate aftermath
• 48:38–51:18 – Understanding Lewis's last moments; loss and processing
• 51:34–52:41 – Grief, healing, and honoring Lewis’s legacy

Tone and Language

The episode skillfully balances technical detail with emotional resonance. David’s personal reflections interweave with factual narration, providing both a survival manual and an affecting meditation on loss, resilience, and the bonds of family. The overall tone is sober, honest, and ultimately hopeful, with a strong emphasis on finding meaning and recovery after profound trauma.

Conclusion

This episode stands out for its sensitive treatment of personal loss alongside the mechanics of outdoor survival, offering listeners both practical insights and a powerful human story. David Cicotello’s willingness to share his pain and resilience transforms his ordeal into a source of inspiration and a memorial to his brother Lewis, reaffirming the podcast’s theme that ordinary people are capable of extraordinary survival—and grace—in the face of adversity.