Aaron Martin Missing Person Case

Mar 17, 2020

Sep 25, 2023

Aaron

Martin

54

30

White / Caucasian

Male

In the vast and unforgiving wilderness of Alaska, 30-year-old Aaron Emile Martin, an experienced mountaineer and extreme skier, embarked on a daring expedition in early April 2002. He and his companions, Reid Sanders, John Griber, and Greg Von Doersten, set out with the ambitious goal of climbing the formidable 18,008-foot Mount St. Elias and then skiing or snowboarding from its summit down to sea level. The group was dropped off by plane at Hayden Col, a ridge above the 10,000-foot level, on April 4th to begin their ascent. However, the mountain soon tested their resolve. One member of the party, Greg Von Doersten, developed frostbite on his hands and had to remain behind in a snow cave at 14,500 feet while the other three continued their upward journey. Undeterred, Martin, Sanders, and Griber pushed on, reaching the 16,000-foot level by April 7th. The following day, under what appeared to be good weather conditions, they made their attempt for the summit. As they began their descent, the expedition took a tragic turn. John Griber, who was on a snowboard and had started down first, witnessed Martin lose his edge and slide uncontrollably down an icy 45-degree face. Griber watched in horror as Martin slid for an estimated 4,000 feet before disappearing from sight. In the moments that followed, Griber frantically called out for Reid Sanders, who had been higher up the mountain, but his calls were met with an unnerving silence. Griber, realizing the gravity of the situation, searched for Sanders for hours in an area fraught with unstable ice columns and crevasses before being forced to take shelter for the night in a crevasse. The next morning, he continued his search for three more hours to no avail. Eventually, he descended and reunited with Von Doersten. When a pilot flew over to check on their party, Griber carved a grim, six-foot-high message into the snow: "Two Dead." The two survivors were later rescued by the Alaska National Guard. A subsequent aerial search spotted a body and gear about 3,000 feet below the peak, but recovery efforts were uncertain. The incident was a somber reminder of the inherent dangers of high-altitude mountaineering, even for seasoned adventurers. Both Aaron Martin and Reid Sanders were presumed to have perished in falls on the mountain, leaving behind grieving families and a story of ambition met with tragedy in the Alaskan wilderness.

Apr 08, 2002

Wrangell-St. Elias

Alaska

Valdez–Cordova Census Area

No

77829

Alaska State Troopers

Anchorage

Alaska

Anchorage Borough

99507

Malia Miller

Missing Persons Clearinghouse Manager

5700 East Tudor Road, Alaska

9072695511

State

Law Enforcement

AK19036373

2002-04-10

Alaska State Troopers

na

Blond/Strawberry

Unknown

Unknown

07/16/2026