DENALI NATIONAL PARK AND PRESERVE, Alaska — Emergency teams are working to locate four mountaineers who tumbled down Alaska’s Mount McKinley, the continent’s highest mountain, according to Thursday reports from the National Park Service.
Officials have not determined the status of the fallen climbers after the incident was reported to park rangers during overnight hours, with rescue teams waiting for favorable weather to deploy helicopters to the location, according to an agency announcement. The mountaineers were members of a seven-person expedition.
The remaining three team members provided assistance to those who had fallen before heading back to their base location, the announcement states. The accident happened close to Denali Pass, at approximately 18,200 feet (5,547 meters). The climbing party retreated to what’s called high camp at roughly 17,000 feet (5,181 meters), the announcement states. McKinley reaches approximately 20,310 feet (6,190 meters).
Throughout the years, numerous mountaineering accidents and fatalities have taken place on the route connecting high camp and Denali Pass, primarily due to falls without proper safety equipment, the park reports.
Park officials and mountaineering instructors set up and service snow pickets — devices used to create anchoring systems for additional safety on challenging terrain like steep inclines — along the route from high camp to Denali Pass, according to the park. Mountaineers are encouraged to carry their own pickets should the safety equipment installed by officials and instructors be absent or covered by snowfall.
The park service reported that atmospheric conditions on the peak were getting better and would allow helicopter rescue missions shortly. The department did not provide immediate responses to requests for additional details.
A standard mountaineering period for Mount McKinley starts in late April and runs through mid-July, the park states. Officials could not immediately confirm the current number of climbers attempting the ascent.
On Wednesday, two different climbers were airlifted from the mountain by helicopter at approximately 11 p.m. in an unrelated emergency, though park officials stated they had no further details to provide.
