National Park ranger dies after falling into a crevasse on Mt. McKinley during climbing patrol

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU/Gray News) — A National Park Service ranger died after falling into a crevasse on Mt. McKinley during a climbing patrol, according to a National Park Service press release.

The ranger was identified as Robin Pendery of Enumclaw, Washington.

On Thursday around 2 p.m., Pendery fell into a crevasse near the 14,000-foot camp on Mt. McKinley (formerly recognized as Denali). National Park Service personnel responded immediately.

According to the Denali National Park and Preserve, Pendery was a seasonal mountaineering ranger who first joined the Denali mountaineering staff in 2024, supporting climber safety, emergency response and mountaineering operations on North America’s highest peak.

A photo released by the National Park Service, taken in March, shows Pendery being held up by a group of rangers.

“We are heartbroken by the loss of a member of our Denali family,” Superintendent Brooke Merrell said in a press statement. “Our mountaineering rangers dedicate themselves to serving visitors and helping others in one of the most challenging environments in the world. Today, we mourn the loss of a valued colleague, friend and teammate. Our thoughts are with Robin’s family and loved ones.”

While Pendery was hired by the Park Service fairly recently, she had extensive climbing experience, according to Jonathon Spitzer, director of operations for Alpine Ascents, a private mountaineering and guiding company where she was a current employee.

Spitzer said Pendery guided three expeditions on Mt. McKinley in recent years and was well loved by fellow guides and climbers. He called her a “phenomenal person” who was also a personal friend.

Pendery’s death is under investigation, and additional details are not available at this time.

This is the fifth death on the mountain since the beginning of the year, following the deaths of three Latvian climbers who fell from a high elevation and another climber who suffered a medical emergency.