A 25-year-old Seattle man, Alex Chui, died in a fall on Mount McKinley, Alaska’s highest peak, after plummeting 3,000 feet from a climbing route to Peters Glacier. The incident occurred at Squirrel Point, where Chui’s body was later recovered by mountaineering rangers on the West Buttress route.
Incident Details
- Chui was not roped up for safety during the climb.
- His team members were unable to locate him after the fall due to visibility and auditory limitations.
- One team member stated, "We were unable to locate him. We did not know where he was."
Climbing Conditions
Chui’s death marks the third fatality this season on Mount McKinley, which has faced challenging climbing conditions due to:
- Bad weather
- High winds
These conditions have made it difficult for climbers attempting to reach the summit.
Safety Regulations
In recent years, there have been multiple incidents involving climbers falling from routes without being roped up. Notably:
- Last year, two climbers fell about 1 mile apart while descending from Denali Pass without ropes or harnesses. Both survived but sustained serious injuries.
Climbers are required to be roped up when traveling above treeline on Mount McKinley unless they are using an approved anchor system that allows for safe movement between anchors while remaining attached with ropes and harnesses.
Investigation
Mountaineering rangers, along with park officials, are investigating Chui’s death to determine if any regulations were violated during his climb.
Chui had previously climbed Denali in 2012 without a guide service.
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