2 weeks ago
One climber is dormant and different earnestly injured aft a two-person squad fell an estimated 1,000 feet disconnected Mount Johnson astatine Denali National Park in Alaska connected Thursday night, officials said.
The 2 women were roped while ascending a steep way of mixed rock, crystal and snowfall known arsenic "the Escalator" connected nan 8,400-foot peak, nan National Park Service (NPS) said successful a news release.
The climber who died successful nan autumn was identified arsenic 52-year-old Robbi Mecus, of Keene Valley, New York. The surviving climber was identified arsenic a 30-year-old female from California.
Another climbing statement connected nan highest witnessed Mecus and her partner fall, according to officials. The mountaineers alerted parkland rangers earlier descending to nan fallen climbers.
CALIFORNIA MAN FALLS 300 FEET TO DEATH WHILE HIKING WITH WIFE ALONG OREGON COAST
Mecus and her climbing partner fell astir 1,000 feet while ascending a way known arsenic "the Elevator" connected Mount Johnson astatine Denali National Park successful Alaska. (National Park Service)
After nan squad confirmed that Mecus had died, they dug a snowfall cave wherever they tended to nan surviving climber and tried to support her lukewarm passim nan night, NPS said.
On nan pursuing morning, Denali’s precocious altitude chopper aviator and 2 mountaineering rangers rescued nan injured climbing partner utilizing a short-haul rescue technique.
"We are grateful for nan rescue efforts of Denali mountaineering rangers and nan two bully Samaritans connected Mt. Johnson who helped prevention a chap climber’s life," Denali National Park Superintendent Brooke Merrell said. "We widen our thoughts and condolences to nan friends and family of Robbi Mecus."
A position of Denali successful Denali National Park, Alaska. A climber died connected Mount Johnson wrong nan parkland connected Thursday aft falling astir 1,000 feet, parks officials said. (Lance King/Getty Images)
The surviving climber was past airlifted to a hospital successful Anchorage. No update connected her existent information was instantly available.
CALIFORNIA WOMAN DIES IN FALL DOWN 140-FOOT CLIFF WHILE HIKING WITH HUSBAND, TODDLER IN ARIZONA
The aviator and rangers were incapable to return to nan upland to retrieve nan assemblage of Mecus connected Friday owed to deteriorating upwind conditions.
When conditions cleared connected Saturday, nan chopper squad returned to Mount Johnson and recovered her body.
Mecus, who died successful Denali National Park, was a New York State wood ranger. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Mecus was a wood ranger for nan New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s (DEC) Adirondack region for 25 years, interim DEC Commissioner Sean Mahar said successful a connection Saturday.
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"Robbi was an incredible, passionate Ranger and I cognize this nonaccomplishment will not travel easy," Mahar wrote successful a station connected X. "My charismatic connection is present though words cannot afloat seizure a bequest of courage, compassion and service. RIP Ranger."
