The fall guy: Climber dies after 3,000-foot fall in Denali's national park; partners witness fall

Time of India

2 days ago

Alex Chiu, 41, from Brooklyn, tragically died after falling approximately 3,000 feet from a climbing route at Mount McKinley (Denali) in Alaska, according to the National Park Service.
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Chiu was climbing un-roped on one of the most popular routes in the park on Monday during a ski mountaineering expedition, which involves climbing mountains with skis or ski gear and then skiing back down. according to the officials his two climbing partners witnessed his fall onto a rocky, glacial ice-covered face. Despite attempting to reach him, they lost sight and sound of him after the fall.
The team quickly descended the route to seek help, but harsh weather conditions including high winds and snow delayed both ground and air search efforts.
Improved weather on Wednesday allowed two rangers to conduct a helicopter search from Talkeetna, a village south of the mountain, where they recovered Chiu's body. It was then handed over to the state medical examiner.
The West Buttress route is considered the easiest and most frequently climbed path on Denali, attracting about 500 climbers during the busy season from mid-May to mid-June. This year, the mountain's name was officially changed from Mount Denali to Mount McKinley by presidential Donal Trump.
Chiu, an aviation engineer at the Federal Aviation Administration and former Boeing software engineer, was an experienced alpinist with over a 10 years of climbing experience.
His friend James Lee described him as a respected member of Seattle's climbing community who often volunteered as an instructor for mountaineering, ice, and rock climbing through the Boeing Employees Alpine Society.
'Alex introduced many people to mountaineering and could be found climbing or skiing most weekends,' Lee said.
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Chiu's Instagram reflected his passion, where he often shared his love for ice climbing and his confidence in the mountains.
In a post before his trip to Alaska, Chiu wrote, 'When I am in the mountains, I realize I was at my best. I was smart, witty, passionate, and bold.' He also expressed concerns about losing his skills during the pandemic when he moved to Brooklyn to be closer to family but remained determined to return to alpine climbing.
'So tomorrow I am getting on an airplane to Alaska,' he wrote on May 19, 'in an attempt to climb the third highest peak in the world because I don't want to know what happens to a dream deferred.'
Denali is North America's tallest peak and has seen several fatalities over the years. Last year, a woman climber died on a different route known as the Escalator on Mount Johnson in the same park.