Alex Chiu, of Seattle, was un-roped when he reportedly fell from a section of the West Buttress climbing route known as Squirrel Point, descending onto the Peters Glacier. The incident occurred on Monday, June 2, and was reported by the other two members of his expedition.
After witnessing the fall, the team attempted to descend over the edge in search of Chiu but were unable to locate him. They then continued down the West Buttress route to Camp 1 to report the incident and seek help.
According to the National Park Service, poor weather conditions including high winds and snow delayed search and recovery efforts. On June 4, clearing conditions on the north side of the Alaska Range allowed two mountaineering rangers to fly from Talkeetna and conduct a helicopter-based search. Chiu’s body was recovered and transported to Denali National Park and Preserve headquarters, then transferred to the state medical examiner.
The fall occurred in a steep, rocky, and serac-covered area. In a similar incident in 2010, an un-roped French mountaineer fell near the same location and was never recovered.
Approximately 500 climbers are currently on Denali. The annual climbing season typically runs from early May through early July.
