A mountaineer, Alex Chiu, 41, tragically fell to his death while climbing Mount McKinley, or Denali, North America’s tallest peak. The incident occurred on Monday when Chiu fell approximately 3,000 feet from Squirrel Point along the West Buttress route, around 12,000 feet above sea level. At the time of the accident, Chiu was untethered, navigating an exposed and rocky cliff face. His expedition was en route to Peters Glacier when the fall happened. Efforts to recover his body faced challenges due to high winds and snow, preventing helicopter access until Wednesday. Witnesses who saw the fall reported trying to reach him but could neither see nor hear Chiu.
Chiu’s body has been taken to the local medical examiner for further investigation. This tragic event is not unprecedented; another climber from Japan died on the same route last May, and a French climber had a similar fate in 2010. Denali, which stands over 20,000 feet tall, remains a popular destination for climbers, with around 500 currently on the mountain.
Denali, meaning “the tall one” in the Athabascan language, has a complex naming history. Officially known as McKinley since 1917, its original name was restored in 2015 during the Obama administration. However, the name was controversially reverted back to McKinley under the Trump administration, although the Denali National Park and Preserve retains its unchanged name. The area continues to represent both the allure and dangers of high-altitude climbing.
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