Tragedy struck on Mt. Johnson in Alaska as a climbing expedition turned fatal, leaving one person dead and another with serious injuries after a fall of approximately 1,000 feet.
The climbers, whose identities have not been disclosed, were attempting to scale the 8,400-foot peak in Denali National Park. According to the National Park Service, the incident occurred on a section of the mountain referred to as "The Escalator," located on the southeast face of Mt. Johnson. This particular route involves navigating through steep rock, ice, and snow for about 5,000 feet.
Another group of climbers in the vicinity witnessed the fall and promptly reported it to the Alaska Regional Communication Center around 10:45 p.m. on Thursday. Subsequently, this group descended to the site of the accident to provide assistance.
Upon reaching the fallen climbers, it was determined that one individual had tragically lost their life in the incident, while the other had sustained severe traumatic injuries. The assisting group took immediate action by creating a snow cave to shelter the injured climber and administered aid throughout the night until a high-altitude rescue operation could be launched the following morning by Denali National Park's rescue team.
Following a distress call, a swift rescue operation was launched, with a ranger swiftly dispatched to assist the climbers. After reaching the injured climber, both individuals were safely transported to a flat glacier staging area where they were then carefully loaded onto a waiting helicopter. Subsequently, the injured climber was swiftly transferred to an air ambulance for further medical attention. Specific details regarding the climber's injuries, treatment location, and current condition were not disclosed by the NPS.
Efforts to retrieve the deceased climber's body were initiated on Friday, but had to be postponed due to worsening weather conditions. The NPS has indicated that another recovery attempt will be made as soon as weather conditions permit. The identity of the deceased climber will be revealed once their family members have been duly notified, according to the NPS.
