Canadian Climber Falls to His Death on Mt. Rainier

Witnesses say man took 'substantial fall' during descent
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted Aug 26, 2022 10:30 AM CDT
Canadian Climber Falls to His Death on Mt. Rainier
Mount Rainier, 14,410 feet above sea level, is the most glaciated peak in the lower 48 states.   (Getty Images/philfoster440)

The body of a Canadian climber who fell to his death while descending Mount Rainier in Washington state has been recovered by a team of park rangers. Witnesses reported seeing British Columbia resident Chun Hui Zhang take a "substantial fall" while descending the popular Disappointment Cleaver route on Monday, the Seattle Times reports. The National Park Service says the 52-year-old's body was found by rangers using a helicopter Tuesday after rangers and climbing guides made several unsuccessful attempts to locate him.

Officials say Chun was on a private, recreational climb with friends. CNN reports that there have been several other deaths on mountains in national parks this year, including three deaths each in Denali National Park in Alaska and Glacier National Park in Montana. (In one of the Denali deaths, a Japanese climber fell through an ice bridge into a crevasse.)

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