Climber found dead on Denali, North America’s tallest peak

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — A climber was found dead on North America’s tallest peak, Denali, on Monday, a day after a family member told rangers they had not heard from them in days, authorities said.

The climber was identified Tuesday as T. Hagiwara, from Sapporo, Japan. His body was recovered at around 17,000 feet, the National Park Service said.

The climber was using a satellite communication device to keep in contact with their family during a solo attempt to climb Denali, according to a statement from Denali National Park and Preserve. Rangers found the climber’s tent and used information gathered from interviews and location data from their satellite device account to identify where they may be.

A climbing team had reported seeing the climber traversing from a 17,200-foot plateau to Denali Pass at 18,200 feet last Wednesday, the park said.

Data indicated the device had not changed locations since Thursday, “suggesting a fall from the Denali Pass traverse took place on that day,” the park said.

Hagiwara’s body was found Monday, and the park said recovery efforts would be made when weather conditions allowed.

They are one of at least 14 people to have died in falls since 1980 along this section of Denali’s West Buttress route, the park said. About 350 climbers are currently on the route, though most are lower because it’s still early in the climbing season, the park said.