Falling Ice Kills One Climber, Injures Another at Alaska's Denali National Park

A general view of Mt. McKinley (top center) on May 17, 2014 in Denali National Park, Alaska.
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Denali National Park is roughly 240 miles north of Anchorage. The region includes North America's highest peak, Denali.

One climber was killed, and another injured in Denali National Park and Preserve in Alaska earlier this week, according to a press release. The two-person rope team was doing an early morning climb when a block of glacier ice dislodged from a peak and hit them.

A 31-year-old male from Logan, Utah, was the surviving climber. He was knocked unconscious by the impact but later regained consciousness. He then found his partner, a 32-year-old male from Rigby, Idaho, only to discover that he had died in the accident.

Despite significant injuries, the survivor was able to move outside of the debris zone until rescued.

After he alerted park officials using an InReach satellite communication device, rangers could locate him and evacuate him to a safe location so he could get emergency medical treatment. He was later taken by air ambulance to receive further medical care.

Afterward, the helicopter pilot and two mountaineering rangers attempted to return to the accident site, but clouds had moved into the area. Alaska News Source adds that the National Park Service announced that they were later able to recover the climber’s remains.

According to CNN, Denali National Park and Preserve is roughly 240 miles north of Anchorage. The region includes North America's highest peak, Denali.

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