According to officials, a tragic incident occurred at Denali National Park in Alaska, resulting in the death of one climber and the injury of another. The climbers fell a harrowing 1,000 feet off a mountain.
The National Park Service describes “The Escalator,” a 5,000-foot ascending route on Mount Johnson’s southeast face, as a steep and technical alpine climb. On Thursday, a rope team consisting of two individuals was tackling this challenging route, which is known for its mixture of steep rock, ice, and snow.
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At 10:45 p.m. local time, fellow climbers observed two climbers plunging from the mountain. The Alaska Regional Communication Center received an alert and promptly dispatched medical responders to the site. On arrival, the responders tragically confirmed the death of one of the climbers. The remaining climber was provided with medical assistance throughout the night, being sheltered in a temporary snow cave, as per the park service’s account.
Rescue helicopter comes to help climbers at Mount Johnson
At approximately 7 a.m. on Friday, a rescue helicopter was dispatched to assist the injured climber and retrieve the body of the deceased. A mountaineering ranger skillfully entered the improvised snow cave to rescue the injured climber. Subsequently, both the climber and the ranger were safely evacuated from the cave and airlifted to the awaiting helicopter. From there, the climber was transferred to the LifeMed air ambulance at Talkeetna State Airport. The climber received additional medical attention at a hospital, as stated by the park service.
The injured climber’s current condition remains uncertain, according to Paul Ollig, the Director of Interpretation and Education at Denali National Park and Preserve.
According to Ollig, the National Park Service does not receive any updates regarding a patient’s condition once they are transferred to LifeMed. He mentioned that no updated status is available to them.
The park service will release the identity of the deceased climber once the family has been notified.
