A stock photo of Mt. McKinley in Denali National Park and Preserve, Alaska
Credit: Getty
NEED TO KNOW
A rescue mission is underway for four people who fell during a climb on Mt. McKinley in Alaska, which is North America’s highest mountain
The National Park Service confirmed on Thursday, May 28, that park rangers had received a report about the climbers at around midnight local time
The four climbers “fell in the vicinity of Denali Pass at 18,200 feet during their climb,” the agency said
Rescue teams are searching for four people who fell during a climb on Mt. McKinley in Alaska, the highest mountain in North America.
On Thursday, May 28, the National Park Service (NPS) confirmed in a release that park rangers had received a report around midnight local time regarding the four people who had fallen.
The climbers, who had been part of a seven-member team, “fell in the vicinity of Denali Pass at 18,200 feet during their climb,” the NPS said.
“Three members of the climbing team returned to High Camp at 17,000 feet after attending to their fallen climbing partners,” the release added.
A stock photo of Mt. McKinley in Denali National Park and Preserve, Alaska
Credit: Getty
The NPS confirmed that officials were actively responding to the incident, adding that weather conditions on the mountain were improving, meaning they would soon be able to use helicopters to aid the search.
“The extent of injuries and the condition of the climbers remain unknown,” the government agency said.
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“This remains an active incident. The National Park Service is focused on rescue operations and notification of family members. Additional details will be released when they are confirmed and appropriate to share,” the release stated.
Scott Carr, a spokesperson for the NPS, confirmed that park officials had been in contact with the three climbers who made it back to their camp, per the Associated Press.
A stock photo of Mt. McKinley in Denali National Park and Preserve, Alaska
Credit: Getty Images
Carr added that additional information would be shared “if and when it becomes appropriate,” the news agency stated.
The National Park Service’s Alaska Regional Office didn’t immediately respond when contacted by PEOPLE for additional information.
Mt. McKinley is described as “the crown jewel of Denali National Park and Preserve” and is “the highest mountain in North America” at 20,310 feet above sea level, per a post on the NPS website.
The mountain is “a sought-after prize for sightseeing national park visitors and mountain climbing alpinists alike,” the agency added.
The mountain, which has gone by many names through the years, was named Denali until Donald Trump issued an executive order to change the name back to Mt. McKinley in 2025. The name of the park remains Denali National Park and Preserve, the NPS said.
The National Weather Service said in a climbing forecast report posted on Thursday afternoon local time that “isolated snow showers” were expected across Mt. McKinley “through the end of the week.”
It added that “elevated winds will weaken by Friday morning, however some snow showers may persist through the end of the week.”
A separate incident on the mountain on Wednesday evening at around 11 p.m. also saw two climbers be evacuated by helicopter, the NPS said in the same release in which they shared the information about the four climbers.
“Additional details about that incident are not available at this time,” the agency added regarding the previous rescue.
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