STORY: Peruvian police and mountain rescue workers recovered the body of an American climber who went missing in 2002 as glaciers in Peru’s highest mountain and surrounding area continue to retreat.
The mummified, skeletal corpse still had well-preserved climbing boots, crampons, and clothing, as well as a driver’s license and passport belonging to William Stampfl. Stampfl is suspected to have died in an avalanche more than 20 years ago.
In a statement, police say they recovered his body on July 5 at an altitude of 5,200 meters (17,060.37 ft), well below Huascaran’s 6,768-meter summit.
Glacial mass in the region has been retreating for about the last 10 years, said Edson Ramirez, a park ranger and risk assessor for the Huascaran National Park.
