A ski mountaineer from New York plunged to his death from 3,000 feet from the highest peak in the United States. Alex Chiu, 41, was climbing the West Buttress route of Alaska’s Mount McKinley—now known as Denali—without being roped to his two climbing partners on Monday when he slipped and fell from a spot called Squirrel Point.
He plunged down a steep, 3,000-foot rocky slope leading toward Peters Glacier. His body was recovered two days later, the Denali National Park Service said. Those who were with Chiu saw him fall and tried to scale down the slope as far as they could, but were unable to locate him.
Tragic Death
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They eventually made their way back down the route to get help. However, strong winds and heavy snowfall delayed rescue efforts, preventing teams from reaching Chiu until Wednesday morning.
According to an Instagram post, Chiu had recently returned to New York City in 2023.
Before the tragic incident, he had shared updates about his Denali expedition, including packing preparations, the flight to Alaska, and moments spent cooking with friends.
James Lee, a friend of Chiu’s, told The New York Times that he had successfully completed other climbs before this final, fatal attempt. “Alex was a well known and valued member of the Seattle climbing community,” Lee said.
“He introduced many people to mountaineering and rock climbing and could be found mountaineering, skiing or rock climbing on most weekends.”
A Star in His Own Right
Chiu said on Instagram that he had cut down on his climbing activities after the pandemic but had recently begun getting back into the sport. “So, tomorrow I am getting on an airplane to Alaska, in an attempt to climb the third highest peak in the world because I don’t want to know what happens to a dream deferred,” he wrote.
His final post on May 19 was filled with heartfelt messages of love and remembrance from friends and followers.
One fan wrote: “My heart is broken. You will be so missed Alex. You are such a light. You touched every single person you encountered.”
“Thanks for being such an amazing light and energy Alex. You were always so positive and supportive. Will miss you bud,” another said.
Another user wrote: “One of the most adventurous, sweet, passionate souls to ever grace the world of extreme sports. Alex was bold and brave, with the kindest heart- full of love for friends, family, and adventure.”
Chiu wrote in his last post: “I had become an Alpinist, a mountain climber specializing in high and difficult ascents. I slowly realized I was living my dream every single weekend, I could do this every single weekend…”
