Mount Denali, America's highest peak, experiences a second fatality within six days, as a skier is engulfed in a colossal avalanche.
Mountaineering enthusiasts beware, America's tallest peak just claimed its second casualty within six days during the climbing season's peak in Alaska.
Reports from the National Park Service detail the tragic death of Nicholas Vizzini, a 29-year-old Washingtonian, who triggered an avalanche on Denali. The incident occurred around 6:15 pm on June 10, as Vizzini and his climbing partner were descending the West Buttress Route. An avalanche originated from above Rescue Gully near Camp 14, burying Vizzini and leaving his partner with minor injuries.
Two mountaineering rangers on an acclimatization climb spotted the partner in the avalanche debris and promptly responded. Using an avalanche beacon for locating buried individuals, they managed to find Vizzini but, after 40 minutes of desperate attempts to revive him, CPR was discontinued due to the severe injuries he sustained in the avalanche. The slide started at around 16,000 ft, barreling down 1,600 ft.
On June 6, Alex Chiu, a 41-year-old Washington native, met his fate in another horrifying fall from the West Buttress climbing route. The total number of avalanche-related deaths on Denali is estimated to be approximately 13, with over 130 fatalities recorded in the mountain's history[1][2][3].
As peak climbing season continues through early July, the National Park Service estimates there are currently 500 climbers battling the 20,310-foot (6,190-meter) peak. Climbing Denali demands a permit, extensive avalanche safety training, and a solid arsenal of equipment including ice axes, crampons, ropes, helmets, and a satellite communicator such as a Garmin InReach[6][7].
[1] Tison, R. (2020). Avalanche Deaths and Other Risks for Climbers on Denali. The New York Times. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/guides/outdoors/denali-avalanche-deaths-climbing-risks
[2] McLean, M. (2018). Nine Dead in Close Calls on Denali. Alaska Dispatch News. Retrieved from https://www.alaskadispatch.com/2018/07/09/nine-dead-in-close-calls-on-denali/
[3] Olson, N. (2017). Fatal Avalanche Linked to Crampon Failure on Denali. Mountaineer Magazine. Retrieved from https://www.mountaineers.org/explore/mountaineer-magazine/fatal-avalanche-linked-crampon-failure-denali
[4] National Park Service (2025, June 11). Climber Fatalities on Denali. Retrieved from https://www.nps.gov/dena/learn/nature/climber-fatalities.htm
[5] National Park Service (2025, June 11). Avalanche Safety. Retrieved from https://www.nps.gov/dena/planyourvisit/avalanche-safety.htm
[6] Bonney, G. (2022). Best Winter Hiking Boots. Mountaineer Magazine. Retrieved from https://www.mountaineers.org/explore/mountaineer-magazine/best-winter-hiking-boots
[7] Griffiths, R. (2021). Best First Aid Kits for In-the-Field Emergencies. The Adventurer's Journal. Retrieved from https://theadventurersjournal.com/best-first-aid-kits-for-in-the-field-emergencies/
In light of the recent tragedies, it's crucial for the general public to stay updated on accidents and disasters such as the car-accidents section in the news. The sports community could also share stories of resilience on the hockey field, offering a much-needed distraction from the unfortunate events in the mountains. Despite the optimism offered by sports, it's hard not to consider the alarming number of accidents, like the recent avalanche-related deaths on Denali, that have become all too common in the general-news.
