Climber dies after falling 3,000 feet from Mount McKinley in Alaska

The assemblage of a climber who dreamed of summiting Alaska's Mount McKinley, besides known arsenic Denali, has been recovered 2 days aft helium fell astir 3,000 feet, the National Parks Service said.

Alex Chiu, 41, was ascending the West Buttress climbing way of Mount McKinley — the tallest upland successful North America and 3rd highest successful the satellite — with 2 others connected Monday erstwhile helium fell astatine a spot known arsenic Squirrel Point, according to parkland officials. 

After his friends witnessed the fall, they tried to little themselves arsenic acold implicit the borderline arsenic they perchance could, but they weren't capable to perceive oregon spot Chiu, NPS said successful a quality release. They past went backmost down the upland for help.

High winds and snowfall prevented rescue teams from getting to the country wherever Chiu fell until Wednesday morning, NPS said.

Chiu is 1 of multiple climbers who person died successful falls since 1980 on this conception of Mount McKinley's West Buttress route, according to NPS.

There are presently 500 climbers connected Mount McKinley, the parkland said. The opening of June is close successful the mediate of the climbing season, which mostly begins successful aboriginal May and ends successful aboriginal July, NPS said.