An Argentine female mountaineer was climbing the highest peak of Canada’s Mount Logan when a magnitude 6+ earthquake suddenly struck, making the snow and ground extremely unstable and halting her ascent. Now, she is also facing a blizzard, preventing rescue helicopters from reaching her.
According to the UK’s Guardian, Argentine mountaineering guide Natalia Martinez had just begun her solo climb up the 5,959-meter-high Mount Logan last month. But on the ninth day, when she was at an altitude of about 3,900 meters, a magnitude 6.2 earthquake suddenly hit the Yukon region where the mountain is located, as well as parts of Alaska, causing snow and ice around her tent to collapse. To make matters worse, a few hours later, Mount Logan experienced another magnitude 6.3 quake along with several aftershocks.
Although Martinez was only about 135 miles from the epicenter, she fortunately was not caught in any avalanches triggered by the quake. However, her climbing partner Camilo Rada said that the snow conditions and the quake have made the area around her quite dangerous, making it unwise to continue climbing either up or down. As a result, she plans to seek helicopter rescue.
Rada, who has been her climbing partner for 10 years, said that Martinez heard a very loud noise when the quake struck, but did not expect an earthquake—she thought it was just an icefall. However, the ground shook violently, which was quite terrifying. When she looked out of her tent, she saw signs of avalanches all around. After getting in touch with Rada, she decided to abandon the two-year-planned climbing trip and began looking for ways to get rescued.
But unexpectedly, a blizzard hit the area where Martinez was located after the earthquake, forcing a delay in helicopter rescue efforts. The blizzard may not ease until Saturday Taiwan time, and Martinez will then reassess whether she can descend the mountain on her own. Rada said that Martinez has climbed many mountains and is experienced in dealing with strong winds and extreme cold, but the current situation is also very harsh and exhausting for her.