Answer:
In December 1981 at age 27 while piloting a small plane on a sight seeing tour of Mount McKinley, the plane crashed. Ed was stranded for five days and four nights. On the third night Ed and Mike Clouser (the other survivor) had to readjust Pat Scallon (who died shortly after). Anyway during the maneuver Ed wedged his feet into the narrow tail section and his boots came off due to all the cables. Ed passed out in that position for an unknown amount of time in extreme freezing conditions.