CAMP DENALI, Alaska - The Alaska Army National Guard and Coast
Guard teamed up March 10 to help rescue a 28-year-old hiker stranded without
food for days on Meade Glacier near Haines, Alaska.
The 11th Rescue Coordination Center requested support from the Army National
Guard, on behalf of the Coast Guard, after the Coast Guard was unsuccessful
in its attempts to rescue the hiker the previous three days.
The Alaska Army National Guard Army Aviation Operations Facility in Juneau
was tasked with the mission, and crews departed on a UH-60 Black Hawk
helicopter carrying Juneau and Douglas Mountain Rescue crews.
"Local rescue groups, Alaska State Troopers, Coast Guard and Alaska Army
National Guard aircrew members were working together since March 8, but poor
weather conditions in the search area kept us from joining the rescue
attempts earlier," said Chief Warrant Officer Two Nate Maplesden, UH-60 Black
Hawk pilot with the Alaska Army National Guard. "A plan for the Coast Guard
to take three mountain rescue hikers to the search area via the Lace River
and for the Army National Guard to access the Glacier from the Katzehin River
was made, and that's what we first attempted."
Both the Alaska Army National Guard Black Hawk and Coast Guard MH-60 Jayhawk
helicopter launched and proceeded as briefed. The Coast Guard was unable to
access the glacier and had to abort eight nautical miles from the search
area. Meanwhile, the Army National Guard helicopter or "ICY 94" was working
its way in the Katzehin River in poor weather conditions.
"A snow shower was restricting our visibility down to half-a-mile; however we
could see the tops of mountains at 1,000 to 2,000 feet," Maplesden said. "The
sun was beaming through the cloud layer so we were optimistic, but once we
reached the 'toe' of the glacier, conditions had not improved enough to
continue."
The Army Guard crew agreed that it may be worth setting the helicopter down
for a few minutes and wait for a shift in weather.
At 10:15 a.m., the Black Hawk took off for one more look at the glacier and
crews were surprised to see that visibility and ceilings were good.
"We made it to where the glacier was approximately 4,000 feet," said
Maplesden. "We were only 1.5 miles from the hiker's location but could not
continue again due to visibility conditions in the search area."
With the weather not improving, "Icy 94" had to return to Juneau, as weather
conditions appeared to be worsening and fuel was running low.
At 2:30 p.m., Coast Guard and National Guard helicopters took off again with
the intent to drop ground teams as close to the search area as possible to
search on foot.
"The Coast Guard was first in the area and reported that conditions were
improved with cloud layers at 6,500 feet," Maplesden said.
Both helicopter crews maintained constant communication and worked together
to find the hiker's location.
"A moment after we had discussed our search plan, the Coast Guard received a
message from the hiker via a radio that had been dropped to him by the pilot
that was originally chartered to pick him up days before," Maplesden said.
The Coast Guard helicopter crew quickly spotted the hiker in the middle of
the glacier waving outside his tent.
The Coast Guard crew dropped orange markers at his position marking the area
for the Army National Guard Black Hawk helicopter to land at the 5,100-foot
level of the glacier.
"After laying orange markers, Chief Warrant Officer Steve Lewis, the pilot on
the controls, touched down approximately 30 meters from the hiker's
position," Maplesden said. "Snow skis on the Black Hawk provided a large
surface area, and we are able to keep from sinking into the deep fresh snow."
Juneau and Douglas Mountain Rescue personnel were quickly dispatched and
safely transferred the hiker into the Black Hawk.
The hiker was transported to Haines in stable condition where Alaska State
Troopers were waiting to take him to the local clinic. He was tired, weak
and had not eaten in four days.
"The teamwork between the Coast Guard and Army National Guard crews was
seamless. There was constant communication both on the ground and in the
air," Maplesden said. "Planning between the commanding pilots was
professional, and this rescue highlighted the ability of both organizations
to function together in a highly effective manner."
The Alaska Army National Guard Juneau Army Aviation Operating Facility has
served as a staging and planning hub for Search and Rescue events for more
than a decade.
Alaska State Troopers estimated the area he was stranded in has received 12
feet of snow since Feb. 20.
The Alaska Army National Guard was awarded one save for this mission.