An experienced ski mountaineer from the Big Apple plummeted 3,000 feet to his death while climbing America’s tallest mountain Monday, officials said.
Alex Chiu, 41, was scaling the West Buttress route of Alaska’s Mount McKinley, formerly Mount Denali, “un-roped” alongside two members of his expedition when he tumbled toward Peters Glacier, an exposed, ice-covered rock below, according to the National Park Service.
The other mountaineers traversed down the hill, located within Denali National Park, to ask for help, but high winds and snow prevented rescuers from reaching the spot where Chiu had fallen.
Chiu’s body was recovered Wednesday morning when the weather cleared and two rangers could use a helicopter to search for the remains.
His body was transferred to the state’s medical examiner, the park service said.
While officials listed him as a Seattle resident, the New York native said in a social media post that he moved back to Brooklyn in 2023.
Records also indicate he most recently lived in Brooklyn.
In that Instagram post from May 19, Chiu said he was going to Alaska to climb the world’s third-highest peak in hopes of recapturing the adventurous spirit he once had while living in Seattle before the COVID pandemic.
“By 2023 I had all but stopped climbing tall peaks and living to tell about it. I moved back home to Brooklyn, NY to be closer to my family and to a new beginning. I had gone tired of pushing my body to the limit, knowing that the consequences could be high with my diminished skillset,” he wrote.
“I spent the last year working my desk job, running to stay in shape, and after my long runs on Saturdays I always found myself going to the local outdoor retailers REI, The North Face, Arcteryx, I had nothing to buy I just wanted to see the pictures of what I used to do, who I used to be.”
A pal, James Lee, told the New York Times that Chiu handled other alpine climbs before he set his sights on Mount McKinley.
“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.”
Chiu worked for the Federal Aviation Administration as an aerospace engineer, according to his LinkedIn.
There are currently 500 climbers on the mountain with the busy season typically between early May and early July, officials said.
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