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Climber Missing on Denali After Fall

The unnamed climber disappeared after falling from the West Buttress

Denali National Park and Preserve has sent out a press release informing the public that park rangers began an aerial and ground search for a climber who fell from the 16,000 foot ridge on the West Buttress to the Peters Glacier on the evening of May 19.

At around 2 a.m. on Saturday morning, rangers were notified of the fall by the climber’s partner. At approximately 11 p.m. Friday night the two were on the West Buttress just above the fixed line at around 16,000 feet. The partner witnessed the fall from the ridge but could not access or see where the fallen climber came to rest.

The National Park Service helicopter had been dispatched, but current cloudy weather conditions are preventing the helicopter from accessing the fallen climber’s location. Mountaineering rangers are also conducting a ground search from Denali Base Camp at 14,000 feet.

Last week, two climbers went missing while climbing the west ridge of Moose’s Tooth, read more about that accident here.

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