DENALI NATIONAL PARK AND PRESERVE, Alaska — The mountaineering community is mourning the loss of a seasonal ranger who died Thursday following a fall into a crevasse on Denali, the highest peak in North America.
Robin Pendery, a resident of Enumclaw, Washington, was on a climbing patrol near the mountain’s 14,000-foot camp at approximately 2 p.m. When the incident occurred. Despite immediate rescue efforts by National Park Service personnel, Pendery did not survive. The specific circumstances surrounding the fall remain under investigation.
Pendery had joined the Denali mountaineering staff in 2024, tasked with supporting emergency response, climber safety, and mountaineering operations. Beyond her work with the National Park Service, she was a professional guide for Seattle-based Alpine Ascents International, a role she had held since 2015. According to Jonathon Spitzer, the company’s operations director, Pendery was a nurse, ski patroller, and avalanche forecaster who had previously climbed iconic peaks including Mount Rainier and Mount Hood.
“Our mountaineering rangers dedicate themselves to serving visitors and helping others in one of the most challenging environments in the world,” Denali Superintendent Brooke Merrell said in a statement. “Today, we mourn the loss of a valued colleague, friend, and teammate. Our thoughts are with Robin’s family and loved ones.”
The tragedy marks what appears to be the fifth death on the mountain this year. The incident follows a series of fatalities in May, including three Latvian climbers who fell near Denali Pass at 18,200 feet on May 27, and another climber who died on May 31 after experiencing a medical event at 18,700 feet.
The 14,000-foot camp where Pendery fell is located along the West Buttress route, which is utilized by the vast majority of climbers attempting to summit the mountain. As the investigation continues, park officials may be expected to review safety protocols along this heavily traveled path. The National Park Service could implement additional operational adjustments to manage risks for both staff and visitors in the challenging high-altitude environment of the Alaska Range.
