News Release

Stranded Climbers on Ruth Glacier Rescued

Date: May 22, 2023
Contact: Maureen Gualtieri, 907-733-9103
Contact: Sharon Stiteler, 907-683-9583

Denali National Park and Preserve rangers conducted a rescue on Peak 11,300 on the West Fork of the Ruth Glacier on Sunday, May 21, 2023.

On Saturday evening, Alaska Regional Communications Center (ARCC) located in Denali National Park and Preserve received an InReach notification that two climbers with minor injuries were stranded due to lost gear and damaged ropes on the west face of Peak 11,300 on the Ruth Glacier. Poor weather conditions in the mountains prevented a rescue on Saturday night.

The National Park Service high-altitude helicopter launched at 9:15 am on Sunday morning with two mountaineering rangers to assess the site and rescue operations. The rangers were able to complete a successful short-haul rescue operation using 250-foot line suspended from the helicopter with a ranger attached. The ranger was then able to safely rescue both climbers from the steep technical face and bring them to staging site for assessment. The two climbers were then flown back to Talkeetna.