3 Latvian Climbers Die in Fall on Alaska’s Mount McKinley
Three members of a Latvian mountaineering expedition died this week after falling near Denali Pass on Mount McKinley (Denali), North America’s tallest peak, according to the Latvian Mountaineering Association. A fourth climber was rescued in critical condition, while the remaining three team members were safely evacuated from the mountain.
The accident occurred around midnight on May 27–28 near Denali Pass at approximately 18,200 feet on the 20,310-foot peak in Denali National Park and Preserve, Alaska. The climbers were traversing the exposed section between High Camp and Denali Pass on the West Buttress route — the most popular path to the summit — when they fell, the National Park Service reported.
Victims and Survivors
The Latvian Mountaineering Association confirmed that Inese Pučeka, Vija Olte, and Renārs Kunigs-Salaks died in the fall. A fourth climber, Mārtiņš Bilzēns, was critically injured and rescued via long-line helicopter extraction on Thursday afternoon. He was airlifted to a hospital, and the latest reports indicate doctors are not concerned for his life, according to LSM, Latvia’s public broadcasting service.
The three remaining team members — Valdis Puriņš, Edgars Madžulis, and Guntis Svariņš — did not fall but returned to High Camp after attending to their fallen partners. They were evacuated from the mountain on Friday after experiencing declining physical conditions. Two suffered frostbite, but there is hope they will regain full hand mobility.
Rescue Operation
Denali National Park search and rescue personnel conducted the operation under challenging conditions. Because the steep, icy terrain prevented helicopter landing, crews used a long-line extraction to evacuate the injured climber from a basin at 17,200 feet. The climber was moved to Kahiltna Base Camp and then transferred to a LifeMed air ambulance, according to Alaska’s News Source (KTUU).
The three assisting climbers were evacuated via three separate long-line extractions to the 14,200-foot camp before being flown to base camp. Efforts to recover the bodies of the deceased climbers remain ongoing, with weather, terrain, and mountain conditions affecting access to the site.
A Treacherous Section of the Mountain
The traverse between High Camp (17,200 feet) and Denali Pass (18,200 feet) is known as “the Autobahn” — a snow and ice slope notorious for injuries and deaths, mainly resulting from unprotected falls, particularly during descent. Park rangers and mountain guides install and maintain snow pickets in this area for extra protection, but conditions can range from deep snow carrying avalanche risk to hard ice.
Clint Helander, an experienced climber who has summitted McKinley multiple times, told NBC News that “it’s immensely easy for something to happen and turn an otherwise straightforward trip into an epic.” He noted that climbers may need to “bash it in through very, very dense snow and ice even” when placing protective pickets.
A Deep Loss for Latvia’s Climbing Community
The Latvian Mountaineering Association described the tragedy as “an unspeakably painful, irreparable loss for the entire family of Latvian mountain climbers.” The expedition, which began on May 14, aimed to summit Denali by June 11. Latvia has a small but active mountaineering community, and this incident has deeply affected the nation.
The Latvian Embassy in the United States provided consular support throughout the rescue operation. Around 1 a.m. on Saturday, the embassy confirmed that rescuers had reached the remaining team members.
Broader Context
More than 130 people have died on Mount McKinley in the history of the park, including two deaths in 2025. In 2012, four climbers from Japan were killed after a shallow avalanche pushed them into a crevasse. Approximately 1,000 to 1,200 climbers attempt the summit each year, mostly during May and June, with less than half succeeding. As of Thursday, there were 516 climbers on the mountain.
In a separate incident on Wednesday, two other climbers — not part of the Latvian group — were evacuated from the mountain by helicopter.
What’s Next
The National Park Service has not released specific details on what caused the fall, and the exact circumstances remain under investigation. Recovery efforts for the deceased climbers continue, though challenging conditions on the upper mountain may delay operations. The surviving team members have been transported to Talkeetna, Alaska, where they are receiving medical care and support.