Hiker sees friend swept over cliff after triggering snow slide, Alaska officials say

A hiker lost his footing on a snowy slope and rolled hundreds of feet — but that was only the beginning.

The fall triggered a snow slide, officials at Wrangell-St. Elias National Park in Alaska said. The snow slide swept the hiker over a cliff and into a ravine while his friend watched it all happen, Park Ranger Stephens Harper said.

The friend rushed to find the hiker, who park officials didn’t identify. They were near Donoho Peak, a “strenuous” 14-mile round-trip hike that crosses glaciers.

“The man’s hiking partner was able to locate him, contact the National Park Service via cell phone, and provide GPS coordinates to support the multi-agency response effort.”

A local helicopter company spotted the injured hiker from above and confirmed his location with rescue officials, according to the National Park Service. First responders hiked to the man, who was still in the ravine.

Once they reached him, they gave the injured hiker medical care while on the phone with an emergency room doctor before hoisting him into a helicopter. Officials flew him to McCarthy Airport, where he was then transferred to an air ambulance and taken to Alaska Regional Hospital in Anchorage.

Officials did not say what injuries the hiker had or their severity.

This story was originally published May 28, 2021 at 10:55 AM with the headline "Hiker sees friend swept over cliff after triggering snow slide, Alaska officials say."