A tragic accident occurred on Mount McKinley (Denali) when seasonal National Park Service ranger Robin Pendery of Enumclaw, Washington, died Thursday after falling into a crevasse near the 14,000-foot camp.
Pendery was on climbing patrol and helping with camp operations when the incident happened around 2 p.m. Despite immediate rescue efforts by National Park Service personnel, she did not survive. The incident is under investigation.
Officials said Pendery joined Denali’s mountaineering team in 2024, where she worked in climber safety, emergency response, and high-altitude operations.
Superintendent Brooke Merrell called her a valued colleague and said the park is “heartbroken” over the loss.
Denali, one of North America’s most dangerous peaks at 20,310 feet, sees around 1,000 climbers yearly, with fewer than half reaching the summit. About 130 people have died on the mountain.