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Guard Rescues Climber Trapped on Cliff

Alaska Air National Guard HH-60G Pave Hawk aviators and Guardian Angels, assigned to the 210th and 212th Rescue Squadrons, respectively, conduct a hoist rescue demonstration while participating in a multi-agency hoist symposium at Bryant Army Airfield on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, July 22, 2025. The symposium, hosted by Alaska Army National Guard aviators assigned to Golf Company, 2-211th General Support Aviation Battalion, included U.S. Coast Guard crews assigned to Sector Western Alaska and U.S. Arctic out of Air Stations Kodiak and Sitka, Alaska Air National Guardsmen with the 176th Wing rescue squadrons, U.S. Army aviators from Fort Wainwright’s 1-52nd General Support Aviation Battalion, Alaska State Troopers, and civilian search and rescue professional volunteers from the Alaska Mountain Rescue Group. The collaborative training drew on the participants’ varied backgrounds, experiences, and practices, to enhance hoist proficiency and collective readiness when conducting life-saving search and rescue missions in Alaska’s vast and austere terrain. (Alaska Army National Guard photo by Alejandro Peña)

JULY 29, 2025 — Members of the Alaska Air National Guard’s 176th Wing rescued a climber who was trapped and unable to climb down a steep cliff July 27 near Seward.

The Alaska Rescue Coordination Center opened the mission in response to a request for assistance from the Alaska State Troopers.

The Alaska Air National Guard accepted the mission and deployed a 210th Rescue Squadron HH-60 Pave Hawk with 212th Rescue Squadron pararescuemen aboard from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson.

The HH-60 crew located the individual on the cliff near Mt. Marathon at about 4,000 feet elevation.

The crew conducted a hoist to lift the climber off the cliff and transported them to Seward airport, where the individual was released to the Alaska State Troopers.

This mission underscores the capabilities of these elements of the Alaska Air National Guard’s rescue triad— pararescuemen, special mission aviators and HH-60G Pave Hawk crews—who stand ready to respond anytime, anywhere, to save lives across Alaska’s vast and unforgiving terrain. For the rescue, the AKANG was awarded one save.

By Staff Sgt. Seth LaCount
Alaska National Guard

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