A team of experts is working to salvage a Coast Guard helicopter that crashed on Sitka’s Harbor Mountain last month. The U.S. Coast Guard said in a press release that the effort is being led by the Downed Aircraft Recovery Team from the Alaska Army National Guard out of Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson. The group plans to assess the aircraft for its removal, recover the wreckage, and mitigate hazardous materials at the crash site.  

The MH-60 Jayhawk from Air Station Sitka went down on June 22 during a training flight. The crash occurred at about 1,500 feet on the south side of Harbor Mountain. The four crew members involved in the crash were treated for minor injuries and released from Mt. Edgecumbe Medical Center the same day. 

The cause of the crash is being investigated by a team of Coast Guard members and civilian experts. They haven’t given a timeline on how long the investigation will take.

The “very hazardous” crash site remains closed by the U.S. Forest Service, and is currently under video surveillance. 

Several trees were damaged in the crash, but there was no reported damage to the local trail or road system. Harbor Mountain Road remains open to pedestrian traffic, but is still closed to vehicles. The Coast Guard said they will encourage the reopening of the road once teams fully assess the site and determine no additional risks remain. 

Crews from Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak remain in Sitka to support operations in Southeast, with the goal of Sitka crews resuming their duties sometime this week. 

Updated on 6-26-26 at 1:30 p.m.

Harbor Mountain Road is now open to pedestrian traffic, according to the U.S. Forest Service. But it remains closed to vehicles while the U.S. Coast Guard continues its investigation of the area where a helicopter from Air Station Sitka went down on Monday (6-22-26). Coast Guard and local emergency personnel told KCAW on Thursday (6-25-26) there’s no timeline for the investigation or salvage operation of the aircraft.

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Original post from 6-25-26

The scene of a Coast Guard helicopter crash in Sitka on Monday (6-22-26) remains closed until further notice. The U.S. Forest Service issued an updated closure order Thursday (6-25-26) for the area on Harbor Mountain, where a MH-60 Jayhawk carrying four crew from Air Station Sitka went down during a training exercise. The crew was transported to the local hospital with “non-serious injuries” and released the same day.

Sitka Fire Chief Brian McLaughlin said the crash occurred in a heavily wooded area that’s challenging for investigators to reach. The Fire Department is helping the Coast Guard safely access the site. 

“We provided some of our ropes team experts to head down with part of the Coast Guard investigation team to find a safe route down to the site, because they’re going to have several more days of getting down there and doing their investigation,” McLaughlin said. “Not to mention at some point there will likely be a salvage effort.”

McLaughlin said the investigation and subsequent salvage operation of the aircraft could take weeks. He said a majority of the area has reopened, but reminds the community to keep its distance as the Coast Guard continues its recovery and investigation efforts.

“I know everyone’s going to work as quickly and efficiently as they can to open everything up,” McLaughlin said. “But until that time, we just continue to ask for everyone’s patience and support, and kind of keep away from that area for their safety.”

In an email to KCAW, U.S. Coast Guard Public Affairs Officer Pam Manns said there’s currently no timeline for wrapping up the investigation.

“We extend our deepest gratitude to all the local responders who assisted us during this critical time,” Manns said.

The Forest Service will be conducting a multitude of projects and activities in the coming quarter, including a multi-million dollar re-route of the Gavin Hill trail, extensive trail restoration on Harbor Mountain, and this weekend’s Alpine Run. Sitka District Ranger for the US Forest Service, Perry Edwards joins host Brooke Schafer in discussing what the Forest Service has planned.

To learn more contact the Forest Service at 747-6671.

Harbor Mountain is an alpine area accessible by road, which aided Sitka Mountain Rescue in reaching the hiking party more quickly. (Courtesy of Sitka Trail Works http://sitkatrailworks.org/harbor-mountaingavin-hill-trail-2/)

Five hikers were assisted off Harbor Mountain by Sitka Mountain Rescue this weekend, when one member of their party became dehydrated.

The rescue was set into motion around 6 p.m. on Saturday (04-07-18). Five young hikers traversing from Gavan Hill to Harbor Mountain called the Sitka Fire Department. One of their members reported extreme muscle cramping and was unable to go any farther.

The hikers were 21-year-old Benjamin Caldwell, 26-year-old Cassidy Dampier, 24-year-old Jared Fimple, 22-year-old Junior Kelly, and 23-year-old Garrett Bones, all of Sitka.

A press release from the Alaska State Troopers said the hiking party ran out of water and was not equipped to stay overnight.

Ron Duvall, a longtime volunteer with Sitka Mountain Rescue, described the operation as exactly the kind of scenario his group trains for. He commended the hikers for calling for help while it was still daylight and finding shelter.

“I appreciate the five individuals for being so cooperative and making the right decision to call as soon as they needed help. They used their skill sets to make a fire and keep warm while we were in route to them,” Duvall said.

Sitka Mountain Rescue volunteers ascended Harbor Mountain Road on a four wheeler as far as they could go. They hiked the rest of the way, making contact with the party before 10 p.m. Saturday night.

For the four hikers that were able to walk, they were escorted off Harbor Mountain by some members of the rescue party. The others stayed with the dehydrated hiker overnight, tending to the fire and stabilizing his condition with warmth, fluids, and rest.

The next morning, they helped the hiker out of the woods on step at a time.

“A lot of it is mental. It’s always good to have people in good spirits, telling stories and keeping people’s mind off the negative of the situation, but obviously focused on every step,” Duvall said.

To avoid dehydration, Duvall advised all hikers to drink plenty of water before embarking on outdoor adventures. “Once you’re in the field, it’s really hard to get re-hydrated. What you have in your body when you get started is really what matters.” He also stressed the importance of replacing salts lost to sweat with snacks.

All hikers and rescue personnel were out of the field by 9:30 a.m. on Sunday. Organized in the 1960s, Sitka Mountain Rescue currently has 53 members and is working towards re-accreditation this spring.

A washout in January rendered the road unsafe for vehicle travel. Recent repair work caused the Forest Service to briefly close the road to even foot and bicycle traffic.

“It was along the lines of 46 dump truck loads that had to be put on there to get the road back to a driveable situation,” said Sitka District Ranger Perry Edwards.

Harbor Mountain Road receives heavy traffic, especially in the summer months.  The road provides great views on cloudless days, and also connects to the Harbor Mountain/Gavan Hill trail system. It’s also the finish line of the Sitka’s Alpine Adventure Run.

“I’m very happy that race, which I believe will occur on July 18 will go off without a hitch so far as being able to access the top,” he said.

Edwards says projects of this magnitude usually cost between $15,000 and $100,000 — but he didn’t know the final tab for this particular repair.

Edwards also says because of the softer rock on Harbor Mountain — called glacial till — similar washouts may happen again in the future.

“It’s just bound to happen. It’s just a matter of where, and just a matter of when,”  he said. “We have done the best we can with the funding we have to set that up to minimize potential, but potential is always going to be there.”

He says Forest Service roads take a lot of money to maintain and sometimes it comes down to deciding which roads are and are not worth the cost of keeping,  but keeping Harbor Mountain open is at the top of his list.