Glacier Hiker in Trouble

[Joseph Reeves]

From the KINY Juneau Daily News. Good to read he is not hurt.

Coast Guard to reassess rescue mission
HAINES, Alaska (AP) — The Coast Guard will assess weather Tuesday as part of plans to rescue an extreme hiker on Meade Glacier.

Weather on Monday prevented a crew from reaching the man stranded in the Tongass National Forest east of Haines.

Coast Guard officials say they will assess weather at first light Tuesday and decide if they or a private air service that dropped the man off will retrieve him.

The 28-year-old Haines man on Feb. 20 was dropped off alone at the glacier.

He did not show at a scheduled pickup site Sunday.

A ski-plane sent to pick the man up spotted him about 7 miles away at an altitude of 4,300 feet.

The ski-plane couldn't land but dropped him a hand-held radio.

The man said he was tired and weak and that he hadn't eaten for four days.

We travel with small, but not particularly light, VHF radios or 2 meter. Thoughts?

edit with local wx at 6pm 3/8/2010
WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 5 AM AKST TUESDAY.

* SNOW AMOUNT: 5 TO 10 INCHES THROUGH TONIGHT.

* WIND: EAST TO SOUTHEAST 25 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 45 MPH
TONIGHT.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A WARNING MEANS THAT A WINTER STORM IS ALREADY OCCURRING OR
IMMINENT. THIS STORM COULD POSE A THREAT TO LIFE AND PROPERTY.

HEAVY WET SNOW WILL BE DIFFICULT TO MANAGE DUE TO HIGH WATER
CONTENT.

[Juston Taul]

First off… glacier travel alone? Not smart in my book. He put himself in danger, now he's putting other's lives in danger. I'd go get him, but i'd probably hit him once we were back on solid ground.

[Joe Clement]

Bet that radio didn't taste very good.

[Juston Taul]

You were thinking that too I see.

[Bob Bankhead]

Alone? This time of year in Alaska? No food for 4 days?

It will be interesting to learn the whys and wherefors associated with this when they finally get him down safely.

At the least, he should be required to pay for the cost of the rescue.

[Roger Caffin]

Darwin?

Cheers

[Joe Geib]

Hope they get the radio back when they do the recovery operation.

[Matthew Perry]

Nobody ever won the Oscar going "full retard":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svwGRJA28lY

That said….

[Joseph Reeves]

Well, at least my friends from JMR get some practice out of the event….

UPDATE – Juneau Mountain Rescue called in to help in rescue of hiker

Weather continues to hamper the rescue of an extreme hiker on Meade Glacier east of Haines.

A civilian helicopter from Haines was unable to rescue 28 year old Kyle Dugan of Haines this morning due to low clouds.

A Coast Guard helicopter tried later, but was turned back by weather conditions.

As a result, Wes Parker, a Search and Rescue Controller in the District 17 Command Center, says they've contacted Juneau Mountain Rescue to help. A Coast Guard helicopter was scheduled to drop the team on the mountain.

[Anonymous]

It appears we have a serious contender for top spot in the Northwest Regional Tournament. Winner goes on to compete in the finals for the 2010 National Darwin Award.

[Travis Leanna]

Backpacking Light does NOT mean leaving behind common sense, practicality, safety, and consideration for others. But I hope he gets rescued.

[BlackHatGuy]

Hiker rescued from Meade Glacier

Searchers have rescued an "extreme hiker" stranded on Meade Glacier near Haines.

28 year-old Kyle Dungan of Skagway is reported to be in good condition.

Petty Officer Jon-Paul Rios says a Coast Guard helicopter crew spotted Dungan and dropped smoke, allowing a ski-equipped Alaska Army National Guard helicopter to land and offload a Juneau Mountain Rescue team.

For the past three days harsh weather and fog has hampered efforts to rescue Dungan.

Rios says late yesterday afternoon (Wednesday) there was a weather "window" of opportunity to locate Dungan and pick him up.

Dungan told rescuers he heard the helicopters and used the radio he was dropped days prior to guide the Coast Guard helicopter to his location.

Dungan reported that until the helicopters showed up, the visibility had been zero/zero.

He had plenty of gear and water, but had not eaten in seven days by the time he was found. He set up a tent and hunkered down until the weather got better.

The experienced mountaineering guide was dropped off on the glacier February 20 and was scheduled for pickup March 7.

The flying service was able to locate Dungan on the glacier on Sunday but he was still several miles way from the pickup point where the plane could land.

Troopers estimated the area has received 12 feet of snow since Feb. 20.

[Ken Thompson]

Wonder when he realized that he was in serious trouble. And as always plenty of praise goes out to the SAR teams. Love them.

[Angela Zukowski]

I think this guy has him beat as a contender for the Darwin award, by FAR.

http://www.thenewsobserver.com/articles/2010/03/09/news/news01.txt

[Ken Thompson]

That is going to be one expensive trip to Springer Mountain

[a d]

He is in fact a very experienced Alaska Mountaineer, who has worked on and near the Meade Glacier for years. He had everything he needed…warmth, water, and food was just five miles away. He was just a guy stuck in a storm.

[Author]

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