Japanese climber dies on Denali

A Japanese climber that was part of a four-person team died on Denali Tuesday morning of what national park officials are calling “unknown medical causes.”

The climber was identified Wednesday as Masayuki Ikeda, 66, of Toride, Japan, according to a statement from Denali National Park spokeswoman Maureen Gualtieri.

Ikeda and three other members of the group were high on the West Buttress route making a bid for the summit when Ikeda fell ill Monday night, Gualtieri wrote. They were later met by another group of climbers descending the 20,310-foot mountain in the early morning hours Tuesday between 18,400 and 19,000 feet, according to the statement.

“At that point, Mr. Ikeda had an altered mental status and was non-ambulatory,” according to Gualtieri.

The descending team provided initial assistance, then made the decision to continue down to the high camp at 17,200 feet for additional help. Once at high camp, they used a satellite phone to contact park rescue personnel, Gualtieri wrote. A high-altitude helicopter was launched by the park service at 7:45 a.m.

“After an initial reconnaissance flight to the upper mountain, the helicopter pilot flew back to the 18,400-foot elevation with a short-haul rescue basket,” Gualtieri wrote. “The teammates loaded the patient into the basket, and the climber was short-hauled down to the 14,200-foot camp.”

After medical personnel at the camp failed to detect a pulse, the climber was loaded into the helicopter and two Alaska Air National Guard pararescuemen began resuscitation efforts during the flight to the Kahiltna camp at 7,200 feet, according to the statement. Ikeda was pronounced dead at 9:40 a.m.

The body was flown to Talkeetna and later transferred to the state medical examiner’s office, according to the park service.