Early-season fall kills McKinley mountaineer, park service says

A 39-year-old Tacoma, Wash., woman died in a fall on Mount McKinley this week, according to the National Park Service. In a Friday news release, park service officials said Sylvia Montag became separated from her climbing partner, 34-year-old Mike Fuchs of Berlin, Germany, near 18,200-foot Denali Pass and likely suffered the fatal fall on Monday. Though Fuchs was in contact with rangers by satellite phone, poor weather hampered rescue and recovery efforts for days. A mountaineering ranger finally spotted Montag's remains from a special high-altitude helicopter on Wednesday. A park service pilot was also able to rescue Fuchs, transporting him first to the Kahiltna Glacier base camp for medical assessment, then to Talkeetna. Fuchs and Montag were among the first climbers on the mountain this season and the only climbers who were above 14,200 feet, officials said, which complicated rescue efforts. CHECK BACK FOR UPDATES ON THIS DEVELOPING STORY Read more here: http://www.adn.com/2014/05/09/3462876/early-season-fall-kills-mckinley.html?sp=/99/100/&ihp=1#storylink=cpy