Climber in Alaska’s Denali Park National Park dies after 2 fall 1,000 feet off mountain
Robbi Mecus, 52, died Thursday at Denali National Park in Alaska after falling about 1,000 feet while climbing Mount Johnson with a partner, officials said.
The two women were roped while ascending a steep route of mixed rock, ice and snow known as “the Escalator” on the 8,400-foot peak, the National Park Service (NPS) said in a news release.
The climber who died in the fall was identified as 52-year-old Robbi Mecus, of Keene Valley, New York. The surviving climber was identified as a 30-year-old woman from California.
Another climbing party on the peak witnessed Mecus and her partner fall, according to officials. The mountaineers alerted park rangers before descending to the fallen climbers.
After the team confirmed that Mecus had died, they dug a snow cave where they tended to the surviving climber and tried to keep her warm throughout the night, NPS said.
On the following morning, Denali’s high altitude helicopter pilot and two mountaineering rangers rescued the injured climbing partner using a short-haul rescue technique.
“We are grateful for the rescue efforts of Denali mountaineering rangers and the two good Samaritans on Mt. Johnson who helped save a fellow climber’s life,” Denali National Park Superintendent Brooke Merrell said.
“We extend our thoughts and condolences to the friends and family of Robbi Mecus.”
