A National Park Service ranger died Thursday after falling into a crevasse on Mount McKinley, the agency said, marking the second fatal incident on North America’s tallest mountain in less than two weeks.
Robin Pendery, a seasonal mountaineering ranger assigned to Denali National Park and Preserve, fell while on patrol near a camp at 14,000 feet. She died despite immediate rescue efforts, according to the NPS.
“Today, we mourn the loss of a valued colleague, friend and teammate,” Denali Superintendent Brooke Merrell said in a statement Friday. “Our mountaineering rangers dedicate themselves to serving visitors and helping others in one of the most challenging environments in the world.”
Pendery, of Enumclaw, Washington, was a seasonal mountaineering ranger assigned to the Denali national park and preserve, the NPS said.
The Pendery fatality followed a similar tragedy just last week, when three climbers from a Latvian mountaineering expedition died after falling near a treacherous pass on the same peak. A fourth climber from that seven-person team, which was traversing a route known for exposed sections where many climbers have died or been injured over the years, was rescued. The National Park Service said the death is under investigation.
The mountain, which the U.S. government has referred to at various points as Mount McKinley and Denali, stands at about 20,310 feet (6,190 meters) above sea level. Pendery fell near a camp at 14,000 feet (4,328 meters).