The Latest: National Guard revises glacier rescue location
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – The Latest on the rescue of two skiers stranded in Alaska for four days (all times local):
1:55 p.m.
The Alaska Air National Guard has revised the location where it picked up two stranded skiers after four days.
The Guard said Wednesday that Christopher Hanna and Jennifer Neyman weren’t found on Bear Glacier in the Harding Ice Field as the agency previously reported. They got stranded 11 miles to the west in the ice field itself, an expanse of thick ice at high elevation that feeds more than 30 glaciers.
An airplane dropped off Neyman and Hanna for a day trip Friday and couldn’t return because of severe weather.
The skiers dug a snow cave for protection after strong wind and heavy snow destroyed their tent. They used a personal locator beacon with texting capability to contact a friend, who called authorities.
Whiteout conditions prevented a rescue until Tuesday. They were found in good condition.
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10:35 a.m.
One of two skiers rescued from an Alaska glacier after four nights has left a hospital.
A spokeswoman for Central Peninsula Hospital in Soldotna (sohl-DOT-nah) says Jennifer Neyman (NEYE-man) was treated and released Tuesday, the same day an Alaska Air National Guard helicopter picked up her and Christopher Hanna.
Hanna had declined medical treatment at the hospital.
An airplane dropped off Neyman and Hanna at Bear Glacier in the Harding Ice Field for a day trip Friday. Stormy weather moved in, and the plane couldn’t return to pick them up.
The skiers carried a tent and provisions for two days, but high wind and heavy snowfall wrecked their tent.
They survived by digging a snow cave for shelter.
Strong winds and whiteout conditions thwarted rescue attempts until Tuesday.
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