Borja was able to stop himself with his ice ax, but he sprained his ankle and couldn't walk. Climbing rangers saw the accident, and they lowered Borja in a litter to the ranger camp at 14,200 feet where the rangers maintain a medical tent. But by 8 p.m., Borja had lost feeling in his toes and medical workers thought he needed more extensive medical attention. He was barely conscious when he was brought in Thursday evening. Springer had ascended from the base camp at 7,200 feet to the high camp in less than four days.
Rangers recommend acclimating to the altitude by ascending no more than a thousand feet a day.
Rangers decided the two climbers needed immediate evacuation and medical attention. So the Park Service sent its high-altitude Lama helicopter to pick up the men from the high camp and ferry them down to the base camp. An Air National Guard helicopter picked them up there and brought the men to Providence Hospital in Anchorage. Both climbers were kept overnight and released Friday. It was the third rescue on the mountain this season.