Three Latvian Climbers Die After Falling Near Denali Pass on Alaska’s Mount McKinley

Three climbers from a Latvian mountaineering expedition died after falling near Denali Pass on Alaska’s Mount McKinley, while a fourth climber was rescued, the National Park Service said.

“Three climbers who fell near a treacherous pass on North America’s tallest peak have died, a Latvian mountaineering group announced Friday”

Alaska Public Media

The fall happened Wednesday during the climb near Denali Pass, which is about 18,200 feet, as the seven-person team traversed the West Buttress route known for exposed sections.

Alaska Public Media

Rangers used a helicopter long-line to pluck the surviving climber from roughly 17,200 feet on the West Buttress route, and the climber was later airlifted to a hospital.

The park service said the accident occurred during the climb near Denali Pass and provided few other details, while it said the three others in the climbing group helped with the rescue work and started experiencing “declining physical conditions,” before crews evacuated them Friday.

The Latvian Mountaineering Association identified the three climbers who died as Inese Pučeka, Vija Olte and Renārs Kunigs-Salaks, and it said Mārtiņš Bilzēns was injured and evacuated in critical condition.

In a statement shared by the Latvian Mountaineering Association, it said, “It is with the deepest sadness that we announce that three of our friends, talented and experienced climbers, have lost their lives on the icy slopes of this mountain.”

Alaska's News Source

The National Park Service said a high-altitude helicopter was unable to land due to terrain and conditions, so it used “a long-line extraction” to remove the climber on Thursday afternoon.

The park service also said “operations for the three remaining climbers have transitioned from a search and rescue mission to a recovery effort,” after the accident near Denali Pass.

The incident unfolded on a mountain that the Associated Press described as having a long record of injuries and deaths, including that “more than 130 people have died on the mountain in the history of the park.”

“3 climbers who fell near treacherous pass on Alaska’s Mount McKinley are dead; 1 rescued JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — Three climbers on Alaska’s Mount McKinley who fell near a treacherous pass on North America’s tallest peak have died, a Latvian mountaineering group announced Friday”

Associated Press

The park service said many injuries and deaths have occurred over the years on the traverse between high camp at around 17,200 feet and Denali Pass, mainly resulting from unprotected falls, and it said most deaths along the pass have happened while climbers are descending.

Clint Helander, who has summited McKinley and been on the mountain numerous times, said climbing McKinley is “a huge undertaking,” citing intense glaciation, rapid weather changes, altitude and the sheer scale of the peak.

The National Park Service said only about 1,000 to 1,200 climbers attempt to reach the top of Mount McKinley each year, mostly during May and June, and it said the trip usually takes about 17 days, with fewer than half making it to the summit last year.