Kyle Ferguson, 31, was reported about 8:40 p.m. Thursday to have fallen while hiking at an elevation of about 2,600 feet. Alaska State Troopers said he had been hunting in the area.
"From what was reported he suffered a dislocated shoulder, possible head trauma, spinal injuries and hypothermia," Petty Officer 3rd Class Jon-Paul Rios said Friday afternoon.
The Coast Guard launched an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter loaded with medics and members of Sitka Mountain Rescue to the scene near Alpine Lake, about 10 miles north of Sitka. The chopper arrived about 10:30 p.m. and lowered the mountain rescue team to the mountain, Rios said.
The team rappelled down to find Ferguson on an "extreme slope" and determined they wold not be able to hoist him up from that location.
"It was really unstable," Rios said. "It was sketchy."
Rescuers asked the Jayhawk crew to return to Sitka for reinforcements, which it delivered a short time later.
With additional bodies and equipment, seven members of the mountain rescue group lashed Ferguson to a litter then spent the night hand-lowering him down the mountain using ropes. They got him to a flat spot near the lake where the helicopter could land.
The chopper picked Ferguson up and delivered him about 7:40 a.m. Friday to Air Station Sitka, where medics were waiting. He was taken to Sitka Hospital for treatment of his injuries, troopers said.
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