Empty tent, ski tracks found in search for missing climbers at Denali National Park

Searchers looking for two overdue hikers at Denali National Park reported finding ski tracks, an empty tent and boot prints leading into an avalanche.

The two climbers were last heard from at 5 a.m. Friday, May 5, Denali National Park rangers said in a news release.

When Eli Michel, 34 of Columbia City, Indiana, and Nafiun Awal, 32 of Seattle, Washington, failed to check in again, friends notified rangers Sunday, May 7, the release said.

The two planned to climb the west ridge route on the Moose’s Tooth, a 10,300-foot peak in the park’s Ruth Gorge, rangers said.

“An initial search of the area found the team’s unattended tent, as well as ski tracks heading to the base of the route,” the release said.

Searchers also found a cache of skis where the climbers had switched to crampons and spotted boot prints leading into a slab avalanche, rangers said. No other tracks were seen.

A search on Monday, May 8, was expected to focus on an area of crevasses, the release said.

Denali National Park and Preserve, established in 1917, covers 6.1 million acres including Mount Denali, formerly Mount McKinley, the highest peak in North America.

This story was originally published May 9, 2023 at 10:02 AM with the headline "Empty tent, ski tracks found in search for missing climbers at Denali National Park."