FALL ON SNOW, HYPOTHERMIA, FROSTBITE

Alaska Mount McKinley

On June 4, 1982, two Japanese climbers were discovered at the 5000-meter level of the West Rib of Mount McKinley. They were unconscious and had to be evacuated to the High Latitude Research Program’s (HLRP) tent at 4300 meters. The Japanese were stabilized there and were evacuated by U.S. Army Chinooks on June 7.

On May 23, Takashi Kanda (32) and Mamoru Ida (48) were flown into Kahiltna Base Camp (2100 meters) by Cliff Hudson. The two did not register with the National Park Service prior to their climb on Mount McKinley.

On May 31, Peter Hackett and Brian Okonek of the HLRP were making a one- day ascent of the West Rib from the 4400-meter camp. While climbing, they met the Japanese camped at 5300 meters (balcony camp) on the West Rib. They talked a short time and got an altimeter reading from the Japanese before climbing to the summit. At the HLRP camp, two Koreans, who had ascended the West Rib route to 4300 meters on May 22, mentioned that they had not seen any Japanese climbers on the route. The HLRP became concerned and started scanning the West Rib for the Japanese whenever the weather allowed. The winds had been severe the past few days, with estimates of 145 kph.

On June 4 at 1500, Okonek spotted two dots just north of the West Rib at 5000 meters. With binoculars, he could see skid marks in the gully and speculated that the dots were the two Japanese. This was the exact place where Okonek had seen two Koreans die in 1979. At 1600, Okonek and Hackett left to survey the situation, carrying two sleds, personal gear and a CB radio. About a third of the way up, the two noticed a sudden change in the position of the climbers. They radioed to HLRP to organize a second party to bring up medical supplies since it seemed that the two climbers might still be alive. When they reached the Japanese, both were unconscious and Kanda was thrashing and moaning. Hackett radioed the HLRP and requested that more people come up and help with the evacuation. By the time

Hackett and Okonek had gotten Kanda into the sled, two more climbers had arrived and helped haul Kanda back down to camp. Halfway down, the group met the large rescue team of nine people; two stayed with Hackett’s group and the other seven went up to help evacuate Ida.

At 2100, the first group arrived at the HLRP camp. Kanda had no broken bones and no frostbite. Ida, who reached the camp at 2230, had more serious head injuries as well as frostbite of the hands, feet, and penis. The HLRP weatherport was heated to 100°F and both injured climbers were stabilized with intravenous fluids, oxygen, and catheters. (Source: Scott Gill, Mountaineering Ranger, Denali National Park)

Analysis

Kanda’s and Ida’s lives were undoubtedly saved by the elaborate facilities of the HLRP camp at 4400 meters and by the personnel staffing it at the time. When the incident occurred, there were two neurologists and one neurosurgeon. (Source: Scott Gill, Mountaineering Ranger, Denali National Park)