A tragic incident unfolded on North America’s highest peak, Mount McKinley, as a skier lost his life in an avalanche, marking the second fatality of this year’s climbing season. Nicholas Vizzini, a 29-year-old from Washington state, and his snowboarding companion triggered the avalanche on Tuesday while descending the 20,310-foot (6,190-meter) mountain, according to a statement from Denali National Park and Preserve. The avalanche originated at approximately 16,600 feet (5,060 meters) and cascaded down to around 15,000 feet (4,572 meters).
Two mountaineering rangers swiftly responded after spotting Vizzini’s partner amidst the avalanche debris. Utilizing a beacon signal, they located Vizzini, who was largely buried under the wreckage. Despite immediate lifesaving efforts, he was pronounced dead later that evening. Vizzini’s body was subsequently recovered and transferred to the state medical examiner’s office, while his partner sustained minor injuries and was scheduled to leave the mountain on Wednesday.
This incident follows the death of Alex Chiu, a ski mountaineer from Seattle, who perished earlier this month after a 3,000-foot (about 900-meter) fall on the mountain’s West Buttress climbing route. The climbing season, which typically spans from early May to early July, currently hosts around 500 climbers on Mount McKinley. The park authorities continue to emphasize the inherent risks of high-altitude mountaineering.