A National Park Service mountain guide has tragically died after falling into a crevasse on Denali, the tallest mountain in North America.
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Rob Pendery, a seasonal mountaineering ranger assigned to Denali National Park and Preserve, died on Thursday while working on the mountain.
Although Pendery's age was not disclosed, the National Park Service said she was from Enumclaw, Washington.
Mountain Guide Dies After Fall on Denali
Pendery was one of two rangers overseeing the mountain's 14,000-foot camp, a remote location accessible only by helicopter.
At the time of the incident, she was assigned to a climbing patrol.
According to reports, the fall occurred at approximately 2 p.m. near the 14,000-foot camp.
Despite immediate rescue efforts, Pendery died from her injuries, the National Park Service confirmed.
"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 on Friday.
"Today, we mourn the loss of a valued colleague, friend and teammate."
An investigation into the circumstances of Pendery's death remains ongoing. Additional details are expected to be released as the inquiry continues.
Experienced Guide Remembered by Colleagues
According to Alpine Ascents International, Pendery had worked as a mountain guide, ski patroller, and avalanche forecaster throughout the Pacific Northwest since 2015.
In addition to her work in the mountains, she served as a full-time emergency department nurse in Seattle. She would often return to guide and teach in the outdoors.
During a Q&A with Alpine Ascents, Pendery recalled that her first major climb was Mount Rainier.
She made the ascent alongside college friends and joked that they were "so stressed out about climbing that we did not pay any attention to finals or graduation."
Alpine Ascents Director of Operations Jonathan Spitzer described Pendery as a "phenomenal person".
He noted that she had only recently joined the National Park Service.
Her death comes just one week after three climbers from a Latvian mountaineering expedition died following a fall near a notoriously dangerous pass on Denali.
A fourth climber was rescued during that incident.
The group was part of a seven-person expedition traversing a route known for its exposed terrain. Numerous climbers have been injured or killed over the years.
