A 69-year-old Arizona man has died after falling during a hike near Alaska’s Mendenhall Glacier.
Search and rescue teams found the body of Thomas Casey at around 5 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 1, according to KTUU. Authorities had been notified the day before that Casey was missing when he did not return from a scheduled hike on Aug. 30.
Alaska State Troopers say Casey had not left any details about where he was going or when he would return.
Several organizations, including the Juneau Mountain Rescue and the SEAdogs K-9 team, participated in the search, which focused on a remote location near where Casey’s cell phone pinged.
Casey’s body was found near the west side of the Mendenhall Glacier, which is located in the Mendenhall Valley, south of Juneau.
His body has been sent to the state medical examiner’s office.
A ‘spectacular’ landmark, but please be careful
Travel Juneau describes the Mendenhall Glacier as “one of the most beautiful and accessible” in North America. It’s located roughly 13 miles south of downtown Juneau and offers hiking trails, kayaking, guided tours and other fun activities.
However, there are several potential hazards to the area. Back in February, the U.S. Forest Service warned Juneau residents to stay away from the face of Mendenhall Glacier due to potential falling ice, and there have also been notices about flooding and glacial lake outbursts.
The National Weather Service recommends people keep a distance of at least 300 yards when approaching a glacier, because ice thins out around the terminus.
“I can’t tell you how many people I’ve seen walk right up to the face of the glacier to touch it. And they’re probably standing on two inches or less of rotten ice,” said Juneau resident Brian Weed back in 2022.
