National Park Service officials shot this picture from an image of West Ridge of Moose’s Tooth as they searched for two climbers missing from the helicopter at high altitude on Sunday. The red box shows the approximate area of boot tracks which resulted in a minor avalanche. (National Park Service photograph)

The search is on for two climbers from Denali National Park and Preserve The tracks, they say were a part of an Avalanche.

According to an official park service press release, Eli Michel, 34, from Columbia City, Indiana, and Nafiun Awal 32, who is from Seattle was last heard from in the early hours of Friday. They had told a person via an electronic satellite device that they had plans to ascend to the west side that is Moose’s Tooth. The peak, which is 10,335 feet high, lies about 50 miles to the north of Talkeetna.

The two men did not check in again.

National park rangers stationed in Talkeetna visited in the region on Sunday. They discovered the couple’s unattended tent as well as ski tracks that lead to the bottom of the trail, when they changed into crampons and boots and the boot tracks which led to an avalanche that occurred recently. There were no other tracks found the day of the avalanche.

The park service states that the search for ground remains limited because of crevasses and the risk of avalanches and rockfalls. The search for a helicopter was in progress Monday.


This is a still developing story, so check back regularly for any new developments.