Deadly Fall on Mount Johnson at Denali National Park Claims Forest Ranger’s Life

One climber has died and another seriously injured after falling around 1,000 feet from Mount Johnson at Denali National Park in Alaska on Thursday evening, according to officials. The two women were roped together while climbing a steep route of mixed rock, ice and snow known as “the Escalator” on the mountain’s south side summit that is nearly 8,400 ft high.
The climber who lost her life in the fall was identified by authorities as Robbi Mecus, aged 52, from Keene Valley, New York; whilst another survivor – a Californian woman – was critically injured during the incident. Another climbing party witnessed their descent and alerted park rangers before also coming down to the affected parties after ensuring one individual did not meet a similarly grave fate as Mecus had already suffered at this stage of proceedings.
Park officials reported that following confirmation from other climbers present, they established snow caves in which to shelter the injured woman overnight and keep her warm until morning when Denali’s high altitude helicopter pilot and two mountaineering rangers were able to retrieve the second casualty by employing a short-haul rescue technique.
Denali National Park Superintendent Brooke Merrell said: “We are grateful for the efforts of our own mountain rescuers, as well as those who went out there (Mount Johnson) themselves when they learned another was still stranded at high altitude.” She added that her thoughts and condolences were with Mecus’ loved ones during this trying time.
At present no updates are available regarding the condition of the surviving climber following their airlift to hospital in Anchorage; meanwhile, poor weather conditions on Friday meant rangers couldn’t recover Robbi Mecus’ body from Mount Johnson until Saturday when they returned and successfully retrieved it. The deceased woman was an experienced forest ranger with New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) for a quarter-century before her untimely demise in Alaska, according to interim DEC Commissioner Sean Mahar who also described Mecus as “an incredible, passionate Ranger” and added that he knew the loss would not be easy.