On May 28, Denali National Park and Preserve rangers reported that they were attempting to reach four climbers who had fallen while climbing Alaska’s Mount McKinley. The climbers were part of a seven-person Latvian team.
While the National Park Service (NPS) does not release information about fatalities until 72 hours after next-of-kin notification, the Latvian Mountaineering Association (LAS) has confirmed that three of the climbers died.
Climbers Inese Puceka, Vija Olte, and Renars Kunigs-Salaks lost their lives, while Martiņs Bilzens was “evacuated in a critical condition.” The three remaining members of the team — Valdis Puriņs, Edgars Madzulis, and Guntis Svariņs — returned to camp after the accident and are descending alongside rescue personnel.
The Latvian team was climbing the standard West Buttress route, and early reports suggest the accident occurred at around 5,500m. This would place them in a steep, icy area just below Denali Pass. The team had previously stayed in High Camp (5,240m) before tackling this section, sometimes called “The Autobahn” by Denali guides because falls here lead to high-speed descents.
The NPS and the LAS have yet to release any further details about how the accident occurred.
Since 1903, over 130 people have died on Mt. McKinley, and “The Autobahn” area has seen more fatalities than any other section of the West Buttress route, according to the NPS.
