The Two Weeks Denali's Most Beautiful Ridge Turned Killer | Disaster Strikes E 268

On May 24, 1998, a Canadian climber lost his footing on Denali's West Buttress and disappeared down the north face toward the Peters Glacier. Two National Park Service volunteer rangers were a hundred feet ahead of him. One of them radioed for permission to go down and look, got it, and started descending — and somewhere on that slope a decision was made that two separate federal investigations would spend the following year trying to explain. What happened next left one man clipped to a single ice screw in a storm, with no radio, waiting to find out whether anyone knew where he was. Thirteen days later, on the same stretch of ridge, it happened again.

00:00 Disaster Strikes Intro

00:41 Whiteout On The Ice

03:38 Denali Setup And Stakes

04:18 High Camp And Ranger Program

08:10 Gear Limits And Descent Plan

10:13 Burrito Brothers And The Thumb

13:41 Daniel Falls Off The Ridge

15:13 Radio Call And Rescue Choice

18:07 Unroped Descent Into Danger

24:22 Mike Disappears, Hurtado Waits

27:42 Rescue Team Rope By Rope