Coastal trail cliffhanger; man and dog rescued near Point Woronzoff

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) – One man is injured after falling down a cliff on the coastal trail.

Walking near Point Woronzoff with his dog, Xena, the man has been hospitalized. After realized he’d lost sight of Xena, the branch he’d grabbed onto while looking over the edge of the cliff snapped, according to Anchorage Fire Department who answered the call.

AFD said after their arrival, personnel from AFD stations 1,5 and 9, Ted Stevens International Airport Police and Fire, and Anchorage Animal Care and Control worked to secure and assist the man who was below their position on the cliff.

Once the man had been safely recovered and transported to a hospital, AFD public information officer Megan Peters said the group focused their efforts on lowering Xena to the beach below.

“We had an animal control officer on scene that fortunately had some treats and that kind of greased the skids with the dog,” Peters said.

Peters said this incident is an example of why it’s important to stay on the paved areas at the coastal trail and keep pets leashed.

“The bluff, in a lot of places, you can’t tell how secure the ground is beneath you, so really the safest place for you is on the trail,” Peters said. “If there’s some kind of an emergency off-trail, we would much rather you call for help so it could be safely assessed instead of putting yourself at risk.”

See a spelling or grammar error? Report it to web@ktuu.com

Copyright 2025 KTUU. All rights reserved.