Body of mountain guide found on notorious stretch of Alaska’s Denali

The 2022′s first registered climbing death at North America’s highest peak was confirmed Friday.

National park rangers found the body of Austrian-born Matthias Rimml, 35, in Alaska in the fall zone under Denali Pass during an aerial search Friday, according to a statement from park officials.

Rimml — whose business website says he worked as a freelance ski instructor after finishing his military service in 2015 and then became a mountain guide — is believed to have fallen on a notoriously risky part of the most popular West Buttress route, between the Denali Pass at 18,200 feet and a 17,200-foot plateau. Falls on that stretch have climbed the lives of 12 other climbers over the years, usually on the way down, according to the statement.

The devastating discovery on the higher part of the mountain, about 240 miles north of Anchorage, came two days after a search was initiated, which followed outreach from a friend Tuesday after they’d lost periodic contact with the professional mountain guide.

Rimml, who planned to summit in five days compared to the traditional day-12 or 13 summit, started climbing on April 27 and was stocked up on food and fuel for 10 days.

While Denali’s peak sits at 20,310 feet, the majority of climbers and rangers camp under the 14,000-foot level during the typical climbing season, which begins in May and runs through mid-July.

Rimml’s journey started from the Kahiltna Glacier base camp at 7,200 feet, according to officials, and he last made contact with the friend on April 30, when he told that person he was just below the Denali Pass at 18,200 feet elevation and was tired but not in distress. The Denali Pass is located on the West Buttress, which is the route generally climbed.

Searches were underway via National Park Service helicopter Wednesday and while they spotted his tent at 14,000 feet, through intermittent clouds, weather conditions didn’t allow them to return until the following day. They knew at the time he had not been back to the campsite.

Even that day, the helicopter couldn’t reach above 17,200 feet due to clouds, and the search resumed the following morning from the closest community, Talkeetna, a park representative told The Associated Press.

Once a national park ranger patrol gets used to the high altitude, attempts will be made to recover Rimml’s body.

With News Wire Services