Park Ranger Falls into Crevasse and Dies While on Climbing Patrol on Highest Peak in North America

“She knew that there were a lot of risks associated with this level of mountaineering in this level of guiding,” said a friend of Robin Pendery

NEED TO KNOW

• A 33-year-old ranger fell into a crevasse and died on Mount McKinley on Thursday, June 4
• Other National Park Service employees immediately responded, but were unable to save her
• “We are heartbroken by the loss of a member of our Denali family,” said Superintendent Brooke Merrell

A 33-year-old ranger died after falling into a crevasse on the tallest mountain in North America, officials said.

On Thursday, June 4, around 2 p.m. local time, Robin Pendery was on a climbing patrol on Mount McKinley when she fell into a crevasse near the 14,000-foot camp, the National Park Service said in a statement. Other personnel immediately responded to the incident, but the seasonal mountaineering ranger did not survive, officials said. 

“We are heartbroken by the loss of a member of our Denali family,” said Superintendent Brooke Merrell in a statement. “Our mountaineering rangers dedicate themselves to serving visitors and helping others in one of the most challenging environments in the world.

“Today, we mourn the loss of a valued colleague, friend and teammate,” she continued. “Our thoughts are with Robin’s family and loved ones.”

An investigation is ongoing, and the National Park Service did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for additional comment. 

Pendery hailed from Enumclaw, Wash., and first joined the Mount McKinley mountaineering staff in 2024. As a ranger, she helped keep climbers safe, assisted with emergency response and participated in mountaineering operations, the National Park Service said. 

Located in the center of the Alaska Range, the 20,310-foot peak was renamed Denali by President Barack Obama in 2015, after the name had long been used by Alaska Native tribes, before the name was reverted to Mount McKinley by President Donald Trump in 2025, according to Britannica. The presence of crevasses is one of the many challenges that come with scaling the tall peak. The massive cracks “form in glacier ice when the glacier is put under too much stress for it to deform by flowing,” according to the National Park Service. 

Pendery was a guide with more than a decade of experience, according to her profile on Alpine Ascents International. She had worked as a mountain guide, avalanche forecaster and on ski patrol in the Pacific Northwest since 2015. While Pendery was a full-time ER nurse, she loved guiding and teaching in the mountains, according to the website. Pendery had summited Mount Rainier, Mount Hood and Mount Baker, among other peaks. 

Following her death, her colleagues were heartbroken. 

“We are devastated to report the loss of one of our climbing rangers, Robin Pendery,” said ranger Chrissie Oken, according to a post by the Denali Rescue Volunteers. 

“The DRV board and community sends so much love to Robin’s family, friends, and fellow Rangers,” the organization said.

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Bailey Disher, a close friend of Pendery’s, told The New York Times that she last heard from her in April. Pendery had called to wish her a happy birthday, and they discussed the risks of her job as a guide.

“I think one of the things that makes this a little bit easier for me is that it was really clear that she was very aware,” Disher told the paper, adding, “She knew that there were a lot of risks associated with this level of mountaineering in this level of guiding.”