Denali rangers scramble for mountaineer rescue helicopter NO STANDBY SERVICE: High-altitude rescues could be more difficult. By CRAIG MEDRED cmedred@adn.com Anchorage Daily News (04/21/09 21:02:15) For the first time in 18 years, the climbing season on Mount McKinley opens with the absence of a high-altitude helicopter on standby in case of emergency.
National Park Service officials who oversee climbing on the 20,320-foot peak in Denali National Park and Preserve blame contracting problems.
They said last week they are trying to work out a temporary arrangement to have a Wasilla-based Eurocopter AS350 B3 Astar on call and hoping, if need be, the Army at Fort Wainwright can help out with its CH-47 Chinooks.
The B3 Astar has a ceiling of 20,000 feet, just a few hundred feet shy of the summit of North America's tallest peak. And the Chinooks have gone as high as 19,600 feet to perform rescues on McKinley.
John Leonard, the new chief mountaineering ranger for McKinley, said he is confident helicopters will be available if needed to assist climbers who get into trouble.
Ruby: 1.8.7, Rails: 1.1.6