Texas man dies after fall from trail during Alaska cruise hike near Juneau; another passenger injured

JUNEAU, Alaska — A Texas man on a cruise to Alaska is dead after falling from a trail during a hike above downtown Juneau, authorities said, and another cruise ship passenger was injured. Alaska State Troopers said they were notified late Tuesday about a search and rescue involving two men who had fallen from a trail and slid down the mountainside. One man was found with minor injuries.

The body of the other man, a 36-year-old from Texas, was located by drones farther down the mountain, troopers said. He died from injuries sustained in the fall. One of the men had called 911 for help, according to troopers spokesperson Tess Williams. She said the men had mistakenly followed a path that was not the actual trail and is in the vicinity of a tram that shuttles people between downtown Juneau and a developed site about 1,800 feet (548.6 meters) up a mountainside.

The Mount Roberts trail passes through that area and heads up toward a ridgeline and peaks that tower over downtown. Williams noted that it was dark with dense fog and periods of light rain at the time of the incident. The ground was soggy and wet, and conditions off trail were slick.

In July, another cruise passenger, a Kentucky woman, was found dead in the mountains above downtown Juneau. Authorities had launched a search after she did not return to her cruise ship following a hike, underscoring the hazards of rough terrain and changing weather in the area.

State troopers and local search-and-rescue teams continued to review the circumstances of the latest incident as the investigation proceeded, with officials saying the two men had strayed from the official trail and encountered challenging conditions in a rugged, mountainous area that lies above the city. Officials did not identify the Texas man beyond his age, nor release additional details about the other passenger while the investigation continues.