A tragic accident has claimed the life of Balin Miller, a 23-year-old Alaskan climbing influencer, after he fell from El Capitan, the iconic vertical rock formation in California’s Yosemite National Park. The incident occurred on Wednesday while Miller was live-streaming his ascent on TikTok. His mother, Jeanine Girard-Moorman, shared her heartbreak in a poignant social media post, stating, ‘My heart is shattered in a million pieces. I don’t know how I will get through this. I love him so much. I want to wake up from this horrible nightmare.’
Miller was reportedly lead rope soloing—a technique that allows climbers to ascend alone while still being protected by a rope—on the 2,400-foot (730m) route known as Sea of Dreams. According to his brother Dylan, Miller had completed the climb and was hauling up equipment when he likely rappelled off the end of his rope. Witness Tom Evans, a Yosemite-based photographer, recounted that Miller had tried to free his stuck bag before the fall and immediately called 911.
Originally from Anchorage, Miller was a seasoned alpinist who gained international recognition for his solo ascent of Mount McKinley’s Slovak Direct, a feat that took him 56 hours to complete. Veteran climber Clint Helander praised Miller’s recent achievements, calling them ‘one of the most impressive last six months of climbing of anyone I can think of.’ Fellow climber Mark Westman even compared him to Alex Honnold, the first person to free solo a full route on El Capitan.
Miller’s death occurred on the first day of the federal government shutdown, which left national parks ‘generally’ open but with limited operations and closed visitor centers. The National Park Service has launched an investigation into the incident, confirming that ‘park rangers and emergency personnel responded immediately.’
Known affectionately as the ‘Orange Tent Guy’ for his distinctive campsite at the base of El Capitan, Miller had recently completed a notoriously difficult ice climb called Reality Bath in Patagonia, which had remained unrepeated for 37 years. His passing marks the third fatality at Yosemite National Park this year, following the deaths of an 18-year-old climber in June and a 29-year-old hiker in August.
El Capitan, a towering granite monolith standing at approximately 3,000 feet (915 meters), continues to draw climbers from around the globe, despite the inherent risks. Miller’s death serves as a somber reminder of the dangers associated with extreme sports and the fragility of life.