Four climbers fell near Denali Pass on Mount McKinley Thursday, leaving rescuers unable to reach them for hours as poor weather grounded helicopter operations on North America's tallest peak.
The fall was reported overnight to Denali National Park and Preserve rangers, according to CBS News. The four climbers were part of a seven-person team. The fall occurred at roughly 18,200 feet, near Denali Pass. The three remaining team members attended to those who fell, then returned to high camp at around 17,000 feet. The conditions of the four who fell were not immediately known.
Park service spokesperson Scott Carr said authorities were in contact with the three climbers who returned to camp. He declined to release further details. "This remains an active incident. The National Park Service is focused on rescue operations and notification of family members," the agency said in a statement.
Weather conditions frustrated rescue efforts throughout the day. Carr said cloud ceilings were low and visibility was limited. "Helicopter operations will start when a weather window opens up," he said late Thursday.
The mountain, also known as Denali, rises to about 20,310 feet. The stretch between high camp and Denali Pass has a long history of serious climbing accidents. The park notes that most injuries on that traverse result from unprotected falls. Last June, a climber died after falling 3,000 feet on the West Buttress climbing route.
To reduce risk on the traverse, park rangers and mountain guides install and maintain snow pickets, which are used to build anchors on steep slopes between high camp and Denali Pass. The park urges climbers to carry their own pickets in case those placed by rangers and guides are missing.
A separate incident occurred Wednesday night. Two climbers from a different party were evacuated by helicopter from the mountain around 11 p.m. The park service said it had no additional information to share about that evacuation.
Carr confirmed that 516 climbers were on the mountain as of Thursday. A typical climbing season on McKinley runs from late April through mid-July. The national park and mountain together draw about 600,000 visitors per year, though thick cloud cover often obscures the mountain entirely from visitors in the park below.
