On Wednesday, authorities recovered the body of 41-year-old mountaineer Alex Chiu, who fell 3,000 feet to his death from Alaska’s Mount McKinley, also known as Denali. The incident occurred on Monday as Chiu was climbing the West Buttress route at approximately 12,000 feet, moving towards Peters Glacier when he fell while untethered from his group. High winds and snowfall delayed rescue efforts, preventing helicopters from reaching the site until early Wednesday.
Witnesses reported that, after witnessing Chiu’s fall, a climber attempted to descend over the edge but couldn’t see or hear him. Following the recovery, Chiu’s body was transferred to the local medical examiner’s office. Unfortunately, Chiu is not the first to face tragedy on this route; previous fatalities include a Japanese climber last May and a French climber in 2010, both of whom also fell while un-roped in similar areas.
Denali, which stands over 20,000 feet and is a popular destination for climbers, has a rich history surrounding its name. It is traditionally recognized by its Athabascan name, meaning “the tall one.” Although it was designated as Mount McKinley in 1917, it was officially recognized as Denali in 2015 during the Obama administration. However, recent actions by President Trump sought to revert the designation back to McKinley, though Denali National Park and Preserve retains its name. Currently, around 500 climbers are on the mountain, highlighting its continued appeal despite the inherent dangers.
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