Authorities last week began a search for a solo climber on Denali’s West Buttress on Wednesday, May 4th by mountaineering rangers with Denali National Park and Preserve. 35-year-old Matthias Rimml, a professional mountain guide from Austria began his ascent from the 7,200-foot Kahiltna Basecamp on April 27.
His last known satellite phone call to a friend was made on Saturday, April 30 at 2:00 p.m., but his friend grew concerned after several days of silence and notified Denali mountaineering rangers last week. A search was conducted, and they found his tent site at 14,000 feet, but no signs of recent activity were visible.
According to an update from Denali Park and Preserve, the body of Rimml was found after a third day of the search effort. Aerial spotters on the park’s high altitude helicopter sighted Rimml’s body in the fall zone below Denali Pass.
The press release indicates that Rimml likely fell on the steep traverse between Denali Pass at 18,200 feet and the 17,200-foot plateau, a notoriously treacherous stretch of the West Buttress route. Thirteen climbers, including Rimml, have died in falls along this traverse, the majority occurring on the descent.
Recovery efforts will not be attempted until a NPS ranger patrol is acclimated to high altitude and able to safely perform the recovery.