Visitors pass warning sign, get stuck on cliff and call for help, AK rangers say

Two people who passed by a closure sign had to call for help after becoming stranded on a remote cliff, Alaska rangers reported.

Alaska State Troopers notified rangers at Kenai Fjords National Park that two people were trapped on a cliff at the park on the afternoon of Monday, July 21, the National Park Service said in a news release.

The cliff was beyond an “Exit Creek Prohibited Visitor Use Zone” closure sign, rangers said.

Rangers responded to the call and discovered one person had been injured in a fall, the park said. They were unable to reach the visitor.

An Air National Guard helicopter flew out to rescue the fallen hiker and took them to an Anchorage hospital for medical treatment, rangers said.

Rangers hiked out with the uninjured visitor, the park said.

“For your safety, please remain on designated park trails,” rangers said in the release. “Closures in Kenai Fjords National Park are implemented to protect both visitors and park staff who respond to emergencies.”

Kenai Fjords National Park covers 600,000 acres near the community of Seward, about 125 miles south of Anchorage, the National Park System said.

This story was originally published July 23, 2025 at 5:06 PM with the headline "Visitors pass warning sign, get stuck on cliff and call for help, AK rangers say."