Canadian Man Falls To His Death Hiking Mount Rainer In The U.S.
A Canadian man was found dead after falling from Mount Rainer in Washington state, U.S. Mount Rainer is one of the highest peaks in the U.S. at 14, 410 feet above sea level.
The 52-year-old man, who has been identified as Chun Hui Zhang, died on Monday while descending the Disappointment Cleaver Route. According to the park’s statement, the climber from Surrey, British Columbia, was on a private, recreational climb with friends.
Witnesses reported seeing a man fall from a “substantial” height and reported it to park officials. After circling the area with a helicopter, park officials found Chun Hui Zhang’s body a day after it was reported. According to authorities, park officials made several unsuccessful attempts to locate the climber’s body shortly after they were alerted. They were unable to reach him that day.
What we know:
“Zhang was located the following day by a team of NPS rangers,” NPS said. “Using an NPS-contracted helicopter, rangers were able to access and extricate the climber’s body. Guides and staff from International Mountain Guides and Rainier Mountaineering, Inc. provided valuable assistance with the incident.” they continued.
Located 100 miles southeast of Seattle, Mount Rainer is an active volcano known for being the most glaciated peak in the Lower 48 states. The Disappointment Cleaver route is the most popular summit route and accounts for 75% of all attempts.
A route briefing cites the climb as more challenging than most hikers expect. A combination of poor weather conditions and physical requirements can lead “climbers to underestimate” the extent of the climb.
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