Mt. McKinley rescue effort underway

Denali National Park and Preserve mountaineering rangers launched a rescue effort this morning Thursday, May 12 for two members of a guided

expedition. A four-person rope team, including one guide and three clients, fell while descending from the summit ridge of Mt. McKinley very

late on Wednesday or early today Thursday, according to NPS spokesperson Maureen McLaughlin.

Although many details are unavailable at this time, what is known is that

one of the clients suffered a broken leg in the fall. The guide sent the

two uninjured climbers down to the 17,200-foot camp while attending to the

injured client. The guide was able to move the injured client down to a

flat expanse at 19,500-feet known as the Football Field and secure the

individual in a bivy sack, or light sleeping bag. The guide then continued

down alone, arriving at the 17,200-foot camp, or ‘high camp’, at approximately 3:45 am. Another team at the 17,200-foot camp used a satellite phone to call 911 for assistance. They then tended to the guide who had frostbitten hands and feet, as well as a suspected broken rib incurred during another fall near 18,000 feet.

At the time the guide arrived in camp, the two uninjured clients had not

yet returned from their descent. One of these two clients was spotted

several hours later descending to high camp on the lower portion of the

slope known as the Autobahn. Members of the team at the 17,200-foot camp

went out and assisted the client, who also had frostbitten hands and feet,

back to camp. The remaining uninjured client was last seen near Zebra

Rocks at 18,300 feet, just above Denali Pass.

At 8:00 am, at the request of the National Park Service, the Alaska Air National Guard launched a HC-130 aircraft from the 211th Rescue Squadron in an effort to spot the injured and missing climbers. By mid-morning, rescue personnel on board the HC-130 spotted the client with the broken leg at 19,500-feet.

The individual was observed waving to the aircraft.

Skies were clear up high on Denali today Thursday, although wind was gusting

to 70 mph and temperatures were hovering at 25 to 35 below zero Celsius at

17,200 feet. Denali National Park’s high altitude A-Star B3 helicopter departed Talkeetna at 10:45 am for the Kahiltna Basecamp to stage for a rescue once winds subsided. While waiting for the high elevation winds to calm, the helicopter with NPS rangers on board evacuated a different guided client who had been treated for frostbite at the 14,200-foot medical tent.

Plans are currently being formulated for an evening rescue mission involving NPS and military aircraft, weather conditions permitting. The National Weather Service forecasts winds to subside this Thursday evening. As of today, there were 275 climbers on Mt. McKinley, the majority of which are climbing the West Buttress route.