Skier from Washington killed in avalanche in Denali National Park, rangers say
A 29-year-old skier from Washington died in an avalanche in Alaska’s Denali National Park and Preserve, making it the second death this season, officials said.
Nicholas Vizzini was caught in the avalanche at about 6:15 p.m. June 10 on Mount McKinley, the National Park Service said in a news release.
Vizzini was on the mountain with a climbing partner who was snowboarding, officials said.
The two triggered a “soft slab avalanche” as they were going down a slope below the Rescue Gully on the mountain’s West Buttress Route, park officials said.
Vizzini was “mostly buried in the debris,” rangers said.
But it was his climbing partner who caught the attention of rangers who were on the mountain training to acclimate to the conditions, officials said.
The rangers rushed over to the pair “within minutes,” officials said.
The snowboarder was assessed first, then a “beacon search was initiated and a signal acquired,” rangers said.
From there, the rangers discovered Vizzini and started to dig him out.
They performed CPR on him but stopped after 40 minutes because he didn’t have a pulse, and he had traumatic injuries, officials said.
His body was flown off the mountain and taken to a medical examiner.
Vizzini’s climbing partner had minor injuries, officials said.
Park officials said the avalanche traveled about 1,600 feet down the mountain. It started at about 16,600 feet up.
This is the second climbing death to happen on Mount McKinley this season, officials said, and both people were from Washington.
Alex Chiu, 41, of Seattle died June 2 after falling 3,000 feet down Mount McKinley’s West Buttress climbing route, McClatchy News reported from park officials.
Mount McKinley is the tallest mountain in North America at 20,310 feet high, according to park officials.
President Donald Trump recently changed its name from Denali.
This story was originally published June 11, 2025 at 4:01 PM with the headline "Skier from Washington killed in avalanche in Denali National Park, rangers say."
