Climber dies after falling during solo attempt of North America’s tallest peak
A climber died on Monday after falling while trying to traverse North America’s tallest peak solo.
The latest fatality is one of at least two recent deaths as the summer climbing season in the US kicks off.
Park officials at Denali national park and preserve in Alaska said that the fallen climber was attempting to complete a solo climb on Denali, according to a press release.
On Sunday, a concerned family member notified rangers that they had not heard from the climber in several days. The climber had previously been contacting family through an InReach communication device.
Park officials quickly found the climber’s empty tent at the top of a 16,200ft (4,900-meter) ridge. Authorities were then able to estimate the climber’s probable location using data from the InReach device as well as information culled from interviews with other climbers.
Related: Body of climber who died after 1,000ft fall recovered from Alaska mountain
Rangers at the Walter Harper Talkeetna station estimated the climber’s position at 17,000ft on Denali, US national park service officials said.
Data from the InReach device showed its location had not changed since 16 May, “suggesting a fall from the Denali pass traverse took place on that day”, officials said.
On Monday, a national park service mountaineering team patrolling the 17,200ft-high camp discovered the climber and confirmed the person had died.
Efforts to recover the climber’s body are planned for when weather conditions improve, park officials said. The climber had not been publicly identified as of Tuesday morning.
At least 14 climbers have died along the more dangerous part of Denali’s West Buttress route since 1980.
There were 352 climbers on the route as of Tuesday. But many start at a lower peak as it is still early in the climbing season.
Climbing season starts in early May and ends in early July, park officials said.
Another climber died on Sunday after falling from a cliff while hiking in Oregon, according to police, NBC News reported.
Elisha Angelic Macias, 22, was hiking with friends along the Columbia River Gorge trail near Horsetail Falls, about an hour outside of Portland.
Macias separated from her group, went off trail, and subsequently fell 50-60ft (15-18 meters) from a cliff, a spokesperson for the Multnomah county sheriff’s office said in an email to NBC.
Several people called 911 to report that someone had fallen from a cliff when Macias was found.
Bystanders performed CPR on Macias. But the 22-year-old was later pronounced dead by first responders at the scene.
An official cause of death for Macias is still being determined. Macias is the second hiker who has died near Horsetail Falls, Oregon Public Broadcasting reported.
