National Park Service ranger dies in Denali crevasse fall

A National Park Service mountaineering ranger died Thursday afternoon after falling into a crevasse on Denali, North America’s tallest mountain. The ranger has been identified as Robin Pendery, a seasonal employee from Enumclaw, Washington.

Officials said Pendery was conducting a climbing patrol when she suffered the fatal fall near the mountain’s 14,000-foot camp at approximately 2 p.m. local time. The camp is situated along Denali’s popular West Buttress route. National Park Service personnel launched an immediate rescue effort, but Pendery did not survive. The exact circumstances of the fall are under investigation.

Pendery had been a member of Denali’s mountaineering staff since 2024, where her duties focused on climber safety, emergency response, and high-altitude operations. According to the park service, she was one of two rangers helping to manage operations at the 14,000-foot camp. Prior to her work with the Park Service, Pendery was employed as a guide by Alpine Ascents International, a mountaineering company based in Seattle. Her professional background also included work as a nurse, ski patroller, and avalanche forecaster.

In a statement, Denali National Park...