3 climbers who fell near treacherous pass on Alaska’s Mount McKinley are dead; 1 rescued

U.S. news3 climbers who fell near treacherous pass on Alaska’s Mount McKinley are dead; 1 rescuedA Latvian mountaineering group says three climbers on Alaska’s Mount McKinley who fell near a treacherous pass on North America’s tallest peak have died.Listen to this article with a free account00:0000:00An aerial view of Mt. McKinley in Denali National Park, Alaska.Lance King / Getty Images fileShareAdd NBC News to GoogleMay 30, 2026, 11:35 AM EDTBy The Associated PressThree climbers on Alaska’s Mount McKinley who fell near a treacherous pass on North America’s tallest peak have died, a Latvian mountaineering group announced Friday. A fourth climber was rescued.Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.The four were members of a Latvian mountaineering expedition, the group said. They were part of a seven-person team traversing a route known for its exposed sections — where many injuries and deaths have occurred over the years — when they fell Wednesday, the National Park Service has said.McKinley stands at about 20,310 feet, and the climber who was rescued was brought off the mountain from about 17,200 feet by Denali National Park and Preserve search and rescue personnel late Thursday afternoon. A long line from a helicopter was used in the rescue because the terrain and conditions prevented the helicopter from landing, the park service said Friday. The climber was later airlifted to a hospital.The fall happened during the climb near Denali Pass, which is about 18,200 feet, the park service said. It provided few other details. The three others in the climbing group helped with the rescue work and started experiencing “declining physical conditions,” the park service said. Crews evacuated them from the mountain Friday.The group was on the West Buttress route, the most popular path to the summit. It’s known for crevasses, steep ice and exposed ridges.Over the years, many climbing injuries and deaths have occurred...