College student airlifted off Resurrection Pass after allergic reaction 14 miles in

An 18-year-old college student was airlifted off the Resurrection Pass Trail on Monday after an allergic reaction left him struggling to breathe, about 14 miles from the nearest trailhead.

Udi Gitau of Georgia was visiting Alaska with a group of students from the Georgia Institute of Technology when the reaction hit, near East Creek Cabin deep in the backcountry. Someone in the group gave him an EpiPen and texted 911, reaching Soldotna troopers Monday night.

With a patient who couldn't breathe and miles of trail between him and any road, troopers called in the Rescue Coordination Center at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson. A crew found Gitau, lifted him off the trail and flew him to Anchorage for care. Troopers gave no further detail on his condition.

It's at least the third backcountry rescue troopers have reported in Southcentral Alaska in two weeks.