Solo climber dies in fall on Alaska’s Denali — highest peak in North America

A solo climber was found dead Monday as he attempted to scale Denali in Alaska — the highest mountain peak in North America, federal officials said.

The body of Japanese hiker T. Hagiwara was discovered 17,000 feet up the massive mountain on the West Buttress route by National Park Service rangers after he apparently fell during the climb.

A concerned family member called authorities when they hadn’t heard from their loved one who had been checking in with an InReach satellite communicator, the National Park Service said.

The Denali National Park and Preserve rangers overseeing the upper mountain quickly found Hagiwara’s empty tent at the top of a 16,200-foot ridge.

Through interviews with other climbers the rangers determined Hagiwara, of Sapporo, Hokkaido, was last seen ascending from a 17,200 plateau to the Denali Pass at 18,200 feet last Wednesday.

Rescuers also tapped into the climber’s InReach data that showed the device had not changed location since last Thursday, which led them to believe he fell from the Denali Pass the same day, the National Park Service said.

After rough weather cleared up, a spotting scope was used to locate the climber, who was confirmed dead when patrols reached the body.

His body was retrieved Monday evening.

Only the first initial of Hagiwara’s first name was released in line with his family’s wishes, a park spokesperson said.

The deceased climber is one of at least 14 climbers that have died in falls from dangerous parts of the West Buttress route, park officials said. 

With Post wires