A Canadian Climber Has Died After Falling Off A Mountain In Washington State
His body was recovered after two days.
Mount Rainier in Washington. Right: Cross-country skiers in facing Mount Rainier.
A Canadian on a mountaineering trip in Washington has tragically died after falling from the state's tallest mountain.
In an announcement, the United States National Park Service (NPS) reported that they have recovered the remains of a 52-year-old Surrey, B.C., man named Chun Hui Zhang.
Zhang was descending the Disappointment Cleaver route on Mount Rainier on a private, recreational expedition with friends when he fell.
His "substantial fall," which took place on Monday, August 22, was witnessed and reported by onlookers, but it took NPS rangers and helicopters two days and several attempts to recover his body.
The route Zhang took is one of the most popular on Mount Rainier, attracting thousands of climbers every year and accounting for around 75% of all attempts up the mountain, according to the NPS.
Mount Rainier is the tallest mountain in Washington at 4,392m above sea level, attracting thousands of climbers every year.
Not only that, but the mountain is also technically an active volcano, as well as being the most glaciated peak in the contiguous United States.
To be allowed to climb, visitors must get a permit from the park and can go privately or via a tour group.
In 2021, about 9,138 climbers attempted to summit Mount Rainier, but only half of them actually reached the top, which is typical of the average proportion of successful climbing attempts.
Zhang is unfortunately not the first Canadian climber to pass away while mountaineering abroad.
Earlier this year, a Quebec doctor named Richard Cartier, was found dead after going missing while descending Pakistan's K2.
He had been travelling with an Australian climber named Matthew Eakin, who was also found dead.
This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.