Climber Killed In Fall On Mt. Wake

A climber on Mt. Wake was killed in a thousand-foot fall around 6 p.m. on Monday, April 23rd. The accident occurred as the climber was rappelling down the northeast ridge of the 8,130-foot peak. The climber’s partner descended to the body, confirmed the death, then sought assistance from another climbing party in the area. A satellite phone was used to inform an emergency contact about the accident; that person then notified Denali mountaineering staff around 9 p.m. The climbers then returned to the accident scene and brought the body back to their camp in Ruth Gorge. A ranger flew to the gorge on Tuesday morning. He confirmed the identity of the victim and brought the body back to Talkeetna. The cause of the accident is unknown. Mt. Wake is a highly technical, mixed rock, snow, and ice peak located in the Great Gorge of the Ruth Glacier.  At least five other parties were climbing in the vicinity of the Gorge at the time the accident occurred.