This hiker did a few things right (having a whistle) and wrong (improper crampons, ski poles instead of an ice axe) and also had a lot of luck on his side after falling 1500' down into a ravine.

For those who are not familiar with crampons. The micro/mini crampons mentioned in the article would be similar to the first photo, whereas mountaineering crampons which require mountaineering boots with front and rear welts are shown in the 2nd photo. There are also some full crampons on the market that can be worn on most winter boots, however these are not to be used for anything more then an icy trail and definitely not for mountaineering purposes.