No Result
View All Results
Reserve & National Guard
SUBSCRIBE FREE
No Result
View All Results
Reserve & National Guard
SUBSCRIBE FREE
Reserve & National Guard

Alaska National Guard rescues 12 stranded mountaineers

By Maj. Chelsea Aspelund, Alaska National Guard Public Affairs

AmeriForce Exclusive
by AmeriForce Exclusive
June 4, 2021
Pararescue personnel with the Alaska Air National Guard’s 212th Rescue Squadron transload an injured hiker from a 210th Rescue Squadron HH-60 Pave Hawk to a Guardian Flight, AirMedCare air ambulance after conducting a multi-agency rescue from an avalanche near Donoho Peak in Wrangle-Saint Elias National Park and Preserve May 26, 2021. (Courtesy photo by Stephens Harper)

Pararescue personnel with the Alaska Air National Guard’s 212th Rescue Squadron transload an injured hiker from a 210th Rescue Squadron HH-60 Pave Hawk to a Guardian Flight, AirMedCare air ambulance after conducting a multi-agency rescue from an avalanche near Donoho Peak in Wrangle-Saint Elias National Park and Preserve May 26, 2021. (Courtesy photo by Stephens Harper)

Alaska Air and Army National Guardsmen rescued 12 stranded mountaineers on Klutlan Glacier, southeast of Mt. Bona in Wrangell-St Elias National Park, June 1.

The rescue response was initiated at 7:55 a.m. on May 29 when the National Park Service requested support from the Alaska Rescue Coordination Center after receiving an inReach personal locator beacon notification from mountaineers experiencing high-altitude sickness and adverse weather conditions.

The 176th Wing, Alaska Air National Guard, initially launched a 210th Rescue Squadron HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter and a 211th Rescue Squadron HC-130J Combat King II, each with a 212th Rescue Squadron Guardian Angel team of pararescue personnel on board.

High winds, snowfall and low visibility over Klutlan Glacier precluded multiple attempts by the Pave Hawk to reach the mountaineers. In response, the Combat King II attempted an airdrop of medical supplies through the weather to sustain the mountaineers until rescue personnel could reach them.

On the evening of May 30, the AK RCC requested “high-altitude, heavy-airlift” support from the 1st Battalion, 207th Aviation Regiment, who dispatched an Alaska Army National Guard CH-47 Chinook with a paramedic from the 2nd Battalion, 211 Aviation Regiment, on board.

The Chinook conducted multiple attempts to reach the mountaineers while the Combat King remained overhead to provide weather reconnaissance and wind reports.

More than 20 sorties were conducted, and 80 hours flown by crews basing out of Gulkana Airport and forward deploying to McCarthy Airport to seek alternate routes through the weather. The NPS and Gulkana Fuel were instrumental in coordinating logistics to include bed-down, food and fuel at Gulkana.

At approximately 4:45 p.m. on June 1, the Chinook crew safely landed and onloaded all 12 mountaineers and approximately a thousand pounds of gear. The flight medic on board assessed, treated and stabilized two mountaineers with symptoms of high-altitude sickness and treated a third with minor frostbite injuries.

The Chinook transported the mountaineers to Gulkana Airport where the members with high-altitude sickness and the flight medic were transloaded to the Combat King and medevaced to Anchorage.

This multi-agency rescue was coordinated by the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve Search and Rescue Team and the AK RCC and included personnel and aircraft from, the National Park Service – Alaska Region Medical Advisor, Alaska Air National Guard, Alaska Army National Guard, Ultima Thule Lodge, St. Elias Alpine Guides and Gulkana Fuel.

Read comments
Tags: 176th Wing210th Rescue Squadron HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopterAlaska National Guard
AmeriForce Exclusive

AmeriForce Exclusive

Related Posts

Country music icon enlists, wants to inspire next generation of recruits

by Jessica Manfre
2 weeks ago
0
Staff Sgt. Craig Morgan took the oath of enlistment on the stage of the Grand Ole Opry. CREDIT: © Grand Ole Opry, photos by Chris Hollo

Army veteran and country music star Craig Morgan surprised an audience this summer by taking the oath of enlistment during...

Read more

Military provides disaster relief assistance on Maui

by AmeriForce Exclusive
1 month ago
0
disaster relief

The Defense Department continues to support disaster relief efforts related to the devastating wildfire on Maui, Hawaii.

Read more

Army Reserve education benefits collapse halts fall semester enrollments

by Military.com
1 month ago
0
U.S. Army Reserve soldier fires a M240B automatic machine gun during a live fire range qualification on Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey, July 18, 2023. Photo by Spc. Britton Spencer

The Army Reserve ran out of money to cover tuition for its soldiers & is scrambling to reallocate money ahead of the...

Read more

EXCLUSIVE: Incoming Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps talks value of reserves, future of force

by Kari Williams
2 months ago
0
MARFORRES

Sgt. Maj. Carlos Ruiz never served in the MARFORRES, but jokingly hoped he would be confused for doing just that.

Read more

‘Life-changing’ debt-relief extension act would continue assisting reserve component

by AmeriForce Exclusive
2 months ago
0
Debt relief

Guardsmen and reservists facing bankruptcy will continue to get a reprieve, should an extension to a debt relief act be...

Read more

President Biden activated the Individual Ready Reserve

by WeAreTheMighty
2 months ago
0
(U.S. Marine Corps)

On July 13, 2023, President Joe Biden ordered the Selective Reserve and certain members of the IRR to active duty.

Read more

Ads

Let's get social

The RNG Drill

News delivered directly to your inbox

Let's connect!

ABOUT US

  • OUR STORY
  • OUR TEAM
  • OUR WRITERS

MAGAZINE

  • GET PRINT
  • GET DIGITAL
  • GET THE NEWSLETTER

ADVERTISE

  • GET OUR MEDIA KIT
  • PUBLISHER’S STATEMENT

SUBMISSIONS

  • SUBMIT YOUR STORY

Never miss out on the latest stories.

© 2021 Reserve & National Guard by AmeriForce. Privacy Policy | Terms | Site by Swiss Commerce

Thank you for your interest in The Reserve & National Guard Magazine!

Thank you for your interest in The Reserve & National Guard Magazine!

No Result
View All Results
  • NEWS
  • YOUR CAREER
    • UNIT TRAINING
    • DEPLOYMENT
    • PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
    • RECRUITING & RETENTION
    • ENTREPRENEUR
    • TRANSITION
  • EDUCATION
  • MILITARY LIFE
    • MILITARY SPOUSES
    • MILITARY KIDS
    • PARENTING
  • OFF DUTY
    • ENTERTAINMENT
    • TRAVEL
  • HEALTH
    • FITNESS
    • MEDICINE
    • MENTAL HEALTH
  • SPORTS
  • OPINION
  • HISTORY
  • MONEY
    • PERSONAL FINANCE
    • BENEFITS
  • GET THE MAGAZINE
    • PRINT MAGAZINES
    • DIGITAL MAGAZINES
    • GET THE NEWSLETTER
  • ABOUT US
    • MEET OUR TEAM
    • OUR AUTHORS
    • ADVERTISE WITH US
    • SUBMIT YOUR STORY
    • PITCH US
    • CONTACT

© 2022 Reserve & National Guard by AmeriForce. Site by SCBW