(DailyAnswer.org) – One climber died and another was seriously injured when a two-person team plummeted approximately 1,000 feet off Mount Johnson at Alaska’s Denali National Park on April 25.
The pair were roped while they climbed a steep path consisting of snow, ice and mixed rock referred to as “the Escalator” on the 8,400-foot peak. The climber killed in the fall has been identified as 52-year-old Robbi Mecus, from Keene Valley, New York. The surviving climbing partner was named as 30-year-old Melissa Orzechowski, from California. A different climbing party saw the two climbers fall and contacted park rangers before making their way to the two climbers.
When the climbing team arrived to help the pair, they confirmed that Mecus was dead and dug a snow cave so they could tend to Orzechowski’s injuries through the night. The following morning the survivor was transported to hospital. Orzechowski remains in critical condition having reportedly received “serious traumatic injuries”.
Mecus was described as a “pillar of the community” among LGBTQ+ climbers and an “incredible ranger”. After marrying and having a daughter, Mecus came out as a transgender woman at the age of 44, and continued work as a ranger with the support, love and respect of co-workers. Mecus advocated for creating a welcoming space for LGBTQ+ climbers. Interim DEC Commissioner Sean Mahar praised Mecus’ legacy of compassion and bravery, and described the climber as an “incredible” and “passionate” ranger. The Superintendent of Denali National Park, Brooke Merrell, extended condolences and thoughts to the family and friends of Mecus.
Mount Johnson was first ascended in 1979 and has winter temperatures as low as -10 degrees Fahrenheit. Wind chills at the mountain can reach temperatures as low as -20 degrees. The Denali peak of the mountain is North America’s highest peak. The north face of the mountain has over 4,000 feet of sheer vertical granite, which makes up some of the route known by climbers as the Escalator.
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