THE DIALY BEAST – One climber died and a second was seriously injured after falling 1,000 feet while ascending Mt. Johnson in Denali National Park and Preserve this week.
The accident happened in Ruth Gorge, as the team—Robbi Mecus, 52, and her [sic] climbing partner—tackled a treacherous route known as “The Escalator,” on the night of April 25.
“The approximately 5,000-foot route involves navigating a mix of steep rock, ice, and snow,” the parks service said.
Another climbing party witnessed the roped pair fall, called for help, and then climbed down to attempt a rescue. They determined Mecus had died and then dug a snow cave to shelter the survivor, a 30-year-old woman from California, through the night.
A park helicopter pilot and two mountaineering Rangers rescued the survivor on Friday morning and tried to recover Mecus’ body but were deterred by bad weather conditions.
They returned on Saturday morning and brought her remains off the mountain.
Mecus was a firefighter, forest ranger, search-and-rescue professional—and a “proud trans woman,” according to a YouTube video she [sic] made—from a town in New York’s Adirondacks region.
[Mecum] was a very experienced climber …
In a 2019 interview, Mecum needed 211 words to answer the question, “how would you describe your gender?”
