Two climbers, including Marc-Andre Leclerc of Squamish, are currently missing in Alaska after a snow storm in the Juneau area.
Alaska State Troopers were notified at 10 p.m. on March 7 that climbers George "Ryan" Johnson and Leclerc were late returning from a climb in the Mendenhall Ice Field in Juneau.
The pair were dropped off by a chartered helicopter near the Mendenhall Towers on March 4, and were last in touch with friends after summiting the towers the following day.
They planned to hike and ski back to Juneau via the West Mendenhall Glacier Trail, according to State Troopers, with an estimated return time of Wednesday evening.
Juneau experienced a “significant snow storm” on Wednesday and the two men have not been heard from since. Neither are equipped with a SAT phone or emergency beacon, according to Troopers.
“We know they summitted because they took photos, posted them, sent some to friends or family, so we know they had climbed up Mendenhall Towers,” said spokesperson Megan Peters on Friday afternoon.
Leclerc posted a photo to Instagram on March 5.
Juneau Mountain Rescue personnel and the U.S. Coast Guard have both been deployed to assist with the search for the two men by ground and by helicopter.
Peters said the search party found the mens' ski gear, but there was no sign they had managed to get to it after their climb.
“We did locate gear that would have been used to allow them to get back to Juneau. From where they were dropped off, it would have been a good day’s worth of skiing and hiking to make it back to the community,” said troopers spokesperson Megan Peters on Friday afternoon.
“So far we haven’t found signs of them aside from that gear, which they did not get back to,” she said.
Peters said the search is currently in a “holding pattern” because of poor weather conditions.
Next of kin have been notified, and the search will continue pending weather.
Both men are experienced climbers. Johnson, 34, is from Juneau while Leclerc was born and raised in B.C. and currently lives in Squamish.
Please check the Squamish Chief for updates.
